Out of Darkness

Naomi wears her hair in the same style as her deceased mother Estella, a tribute and connection to her and her half-siblings—who she allows to braid it. In the late 1930s, it was commonplace for young women to wear their hair short or pin it up to replicate a shorter style; Naomi’s long braid is a distinct choice which symbolizes her desire to maintain continuity between her and her mother. She keeps Estella’s braid in her guitar case, one of the few treasures she has left. As Estella lay dying after complications following the twins’ birth, she cut her braid to give to Naomi; whenever Naomi is stressed, she often holds the braid. The practice of keeping the hair of a loved one, especially the departed, was common in the century prior, during the Victorian period. Naomi choosing to keep the braid to herself, not even showing it to her siblings, reflects her desire to retain parts of her mother’s story which she deems her own.

When Cari steals the braid for a séance, she literally tries to conjure her mother, feeling she has a right to know Estella and take some possession of her story. With Naomi unwilling to cooperate, Cari ultimately disregards her sister’s boundary.