Facial Mutilations

[Sam Flynn]

If vengeance was his motivation, why didn't he target the face before Eddowes?

It probably just didn't occur to him, Harry. It's quite possible that there was no grand plan, and that he was improvising from victim to victim, as it suited his fancy at the time.

[Sam Flynn]

What I think myself when faced with the matter of the eyelid nicks - as well as with the fact that the killer cut away part of Eddowes´ apron - is that this man was in no rush at all, seemingly.

Cutting the piece of apron would have taken no more than 10 seconds, Fish, and quite probably less. The nicks to the eyelids, given a sharp enough knife, would have taken a second or two at the very most. If he had been in a rush, then he could still have accomplished these things.

[c.d.]

If vengeance was his motivation, why didn't he target the face before Eddowes?

Hello Harry,

I said "if" vengeance was his motivation. Like everyone else who posts here, I have no idea why he did what he did. I was simply speculating.

Certainly vengeance could take the form of throat cutting. It doesn't have to be limited to a specific act. It is also possible that Kate said or did something that made him focus on her face.

c.d.

[Harry D]

Yes, I do but so was taking out her kidney. I think the eyelid thing was sort of like a cat playing with a mouse. A complete power trip. And if the motivation was a little pay back for his getting syphilis from a prostitute, then the face makes sense as their face was their way of attracting men.

c.d.

If vengeance was his motivation, why didn't he target the face before Eddowes?

[Fisherman]

Blanching doesn't refer directly to the cuts themselves, Obs - in this context, it almost certainly refers to the pallor of the skin caused by loss of blood. From the French blanc/blanche, blanching means "the action of making white" (OED definition).

Ah - well, the one thing I make of blanching is to whiten things, and it seems you may be right, Gareth. Thanks to you too!

What I think myself when faced with the matter of the eyelid nicks - as well as with the fact that the killer cut away part of Eddowes´ apron - is that this man was in no rush at all, seemingly. Nor does he seem to have been disturbed or scared off.

[Fisherman]

Haha, it's a term one of the doctors used Fisherman. Of course, blanching also means, part boiling food, usually vegetables. In the case of Eddowes I took it to mean the faint slicing of Eddowes lips.

Aha! Thanks a lot, Observer - I found it quite confusing!

[Sam Flynn]

Of course, blanching also means, part boiling food, usually vegetables. In the case of Eddowes I took it to mean the faint slicing of Eddowes lips.

Blanching doesn't refer directly to the cuts themselves, Obs - in this context, it almost certainly refers to the pallor of the skin caused by loss of blood. From the French blanc/blanche, blanching means "the action of making white" (OED definition).

[c.d.]

Yes it could. Consider the eyelids though. Do you not think it was a rather strange thing to do?

Yes, I do but so was taking out her kidney. I think the eyelid thing was sort of like a cat playing with a mouse. A complete power trip. And if the motivation was a little pay back for his getting syphilis from a prostitute, then the face makes sense as their face was their way of attracting men.

c.d.

[Observer]

Why does there have to be any significance at all attached to the facial mutilations? If we assume that the killer simply liked cutting women, the face is right there in front of him and readily accessible. It could be as simple as that.

c.d.

Yes it could. Consider the eyelids though. Do you not think it was a rather strange thing to do?

[Observer]

I believe someone suggested that the cutting of the lips was to demonstrate that Kate Eddowes talked too much. I'd have said that if one wanted to signify this they would have cut her tongue out.

[c.d.]

Why does there have to be any significance at all attached to the facial mutilations? If we assume that the killer simply liked cutting women, the face is right there in front of him and readily accessible. It could be as simple as that.

c.d.

[Observer]

"Blanching", what exactly is it in this context? Is there a synonym? Can anybody help a Swede out here?

Haha, it's a term one of the doctors used Fisherman. Of course, blanching also means, part boiling food, usually vegetables. In the case of Eddowes I took it to mean the faint slicing of Eddowes lips.

[Observer]

Quite possible. It amazes me how the killer performed such delicate cuts to the eyelids considering his knife was at least six inches long.

[Fisherman]

"Blanching", what exactly is it in this context? Is there a synonym? Can anybody help a Swede out here?

[Sam Flynn]

I am intrigued by the nicking of the eyelids, and the blanching of the lips. Delicate mutilations. Those injuries would suggest an ulterior motive other than sheer wickedness, spitefulness.

It could be partly about control/empowerment, in which case wounds like those might simply have been a case of "I did it because I could".