AlchemillaHsospital

Miriam is another variation of the name Mary

Discuss the second game here.
Post Reply
firecrest
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 6:51 pm

Miriam is another variation of the name Mary

Post by firecrest »

The developers had already used the name Maria as a variation of the name Mary. Most would agree that the intent was very clear. Personally, it didn't click for me until I visited Room 312.

Not many people make the connection that Miriam is also a valid variation. The name Miriam is of Hebrew origin and refers to the sister of Moses in the Hebrew Bible.

The intent of the gossip column that references Walter Sullivan becomes a little more enlightening when you consider that Miriam is also essentially "another Mary." In the context of the gossip column, Walter Sullivan's story mirrors James' reason for coming to Silent Hill. In a nutshell, Walter's character describes a man who is normally known as kind, but was driven to kill someone. He is suffering from the extreme guilt to the point of having suicidal thoughts. Even the "Red Devil" alludes to the Red Pyramid Thing.

The gossip column pretty much spoils the story, but even more so once you substitute Miriam for Mary. Perhaps it was too on-the-nose, so I can imagine the developers trying to divert attention away by adding Billy as a victim as well.

The name Miriam is once more referenced in the Catacomb with the "Miriam K - Traitor" gravestone. There is little information about the character to this day, but the official Silent Hill 2 novel suggests that the Catacomb is filled with captives during the American Civil War and prisoners of the Toluca Prison, who were executed and buried there. The word "Traitor" has a political nuance, which makes it stand out compared to the other crimes mentioned: for example, in the Hanged Man puzzle. It's possible that Miriam K was a captive during the American Civil War and executed for treason.

In this context, Miriam K feels like an opposite to Patrick Chester. Chester participated in the American Civil War and was celebrated as a war hero. Interestingly, his commemorating statue is in bad shape.

There doesn't seem to be any motif when considering Miriam K as also another Mary. A stretch of the imagination could find Chester to be partially responsible for the capture and death of Miriam K if both are from the same time period.

Either way, Miriam is a bit of a special name. There are many, more common American female names that the developers could have chosen from if there was no intent to make a connection to Mary.

Afterthought: Miriam K could be an homage to "Dr. Miriam Kent" from "The Cell."
Post Reply