The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of antigay bias and suicidal ideation.

The broken mirror functions as a symbol of Yami’s fractured self-image and her journey toward self-acceptance. When Yami first punches her vanity mirror after seeing Bianca and quitting her job, she observes, “I like this new reflection better. It’s cracked enough that I’m hardly recognizable. Splintered in all the right places” (1). This initial act of violence against her reflection symbolizes her rejection of herself, particularly her lesbian identity that was forcibly exposed. The broken mirror represents how Yami sees herself: damaged, fragmented, and preferably unrecognizable.

Throughout the novel, the broken mirror continues to serve as a reminder of Yami’s struggle with self-acceptance. She mentions that she “still can’t use the mirror in [her] room” (25), suggesting that she remains uncomfortable with confronting her true self. The mirror’s brokenness parallels Yami’s compartmentalized identity as she navigates different spaces—presenting a straight facade at school while privately acknowledging her attraction to Bo. The author employs this symbol to illustrate how forced exposure of one’s identity can create internal fractures that take time to heal.

The mirror reappears most dramatically during Cesar’s mental health crisis. As Yami processes her guilt and grief, “[t]he cracked mirror in [her] room mocks [her].