A preliminary exploration of the phenomenon. Subject to constant revision.
The term “rat-faced” – a descriptor most often applied to the elderly, but occasionally stretched to encompass a broader spectrum of individuals exhibiting a certain… asymmetry. It’s a term freighted with implication, a shorthand for perceived decline, a visual marker of the passage of time. But what does it *mean*? Beyond the simple observation of a prominent nose, a slightly drooping eyelid, or a line etched deep into the forehead, there exists a complex, almost ritualistic, relationship between the bearer of the ‘rat-faced’ appearance and the perceptions of the observer.
“The face, that most revealing of surfaces, is a stage upon which the tragedy of existence is enacted.” – Silas Blackwood, *Chronicles of the Faceless* (1887)
The initial hypothesis posits a correlation between the ‘rat-faced’ appearance and a heightened sensitivity to the ephemeral nature of reality. The deeper the lines, the more acutely aware one becomes of the relentless march of entropy, the decay of all things beautiful and enduring. It’s a brutal, almost Darwinian, feedback loop. The more one acknowledges the inevitability of decline, the more pronounced the visual manifestation of that decline becomes.
Furthermore, the ‘rat-faced’ is often associated with a particular type of cognitive processing – a tendency towards meticulous observation, a relentless questioning of assumptions. This isn't necessarily a positive trait; it can lead to obsessive rumination, a paralyzing inability to act. The observer, in turn, projects their own anxieties and insecurities onto the subject, solidifying the negative perception.
The early cartographers of the ‘rat-faced’ – primarily figures within the 19th-century philosophical circles of Neo-Romanticism – sought to map the territory of subjective experience. They believed that the face was not merely a passive reflection of the body, but an active participant in the construction of reality. They meticulously documented the ‘rat-faced’ appearance in individuals across diverse cultural contexts, searching for patterns, for underlying principles.
One particularly intriguing case study involved a reclusive clockmaker named Elias Thorne, who spent his entire life meticulously documenting the aging process on his own face. His detailed sketches, preserved in a series of leather-bound journals, reveal a profound obsession with the mechanics of decay. Thorne meticulously measured the angles of his wrinkles, the frequency of his tremors, the subtle shifts in his facial musculature. He believed that by understanding the outward manifestations of aging, he could unlock the secrets of time itself.
"Time is a thief, and the face is its most obvious instrument." – Professor Ignatius Finch, *The Geometry of Decay* (1892)
However, Thorne’s research ultimately proved inconclusive. He died in a state of profound confusion, surrounded by his sketches and journals, his obsession having consumed him entirely. His story serves as a cautionary tale – a reminder of the dangers of fixating on the perceived imperfections of the self.
This appendix presents a preliminary taxonomy of the ‘rat-faced’ appearance, categorized by degree of prominence and associated characteristics. Note that these categories are inherently subjective and subject to change.