History Main / WindowsOfTheSoul

Looking into one's eyes can give one insight into what the person is thinking. At the very least, it can betray some level of emotion, and some even believe one can [[EyesNeverLie tell truth from lies]], and determine the true nature of one's personality, simply by employing this method. On occasion, the things that we're told can be seen in someone's eyes can get really subtle or really abstract - from [[DullEyesOfUnhappiness sadness]] or [[DeathGlare murderous fury]] all the way to [[UncannyValley humanity or the lack thereof]] or [[TimeAbyss immense age]].

In the world of fiction, matters go beyond merely distinguishing lies and feelings. Some tales, especially fantasy, associate special traits to the eyes which tell other characters and, more importantly, the reader more about the character who bears them. Most EyeTropes, ranging from TechnicolorEyes to the likes of BlindingBangs, serve in this capacity, if primarily on a metaphorical level.

* MoodRingEyes: Character's eye color changes according to their mood.

* ColorCodedEyes
* EyeColourChange
* EyeContactAsProof
* EyesAreMental
* EyesNeverLie
* FamilyEyeResemblance
* GoodEyesEvilEyes
* MoodRingEyes
* QuiveringEyes
* TaremeEyes
* TsurimeEyes
* WingdingEyes

Subtropes include:

Traditionally, the eyes are the windows to the soul. Thus, when we see a subtle emotion in someone's face, we say that we see it in their eyes.

It doesn't matter if we can really do this. We do read emotions off people's faces, in such fantastically subtle and sensitive ways that we're often not consciously aware of them. So, wherever it really is that gives them away, we say and often believe it's in the eyes.

On occasion, the things that we're told can be seen in someone's eyes can get really subtle or really abstract - from [[DullEyesOfUnhappiness sadness]] or [[DeathGlare murderous fury]] all the way to [[UncannyValley humanity or the lack thereof]] or [[TimeAbyss immense age]].

This is a trope of literature and dialogue. You need this sort of description only if you can't see the person's eyes for yourself. Live-action works generally let you interpret for yourself; drawn works will often [[WingdingEyes depict the emotions graphically]].

Often a contributing factor to UncannyValley - viewers will say there's "something wrong with their eyes", and creators that they "can't get the eyes right". A good way to deliberately create an emotional disconnect is to [[ScaryShinyGlasses hide a characters eyes entirely]].

Has no relation to [[UsefulNotes/MacOS Mac of the soul]]. Compare and contrast ColorCodedEyes, which express personality instead of emotion, and ElementalEyeColors for clues to their magical abilities, or other supernatural power.

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!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]



[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Played with in the 'Shining Armor' story from ''ComicBook/AstroCity''. Irene sees a glint in Atomicus's eyes, which she initially reads as a challenge, leading her to prod him about his secret identity until he leaves the planet, after which she understands it was fear. It seems more probable that the glint is just a glint in his eyes she can read however she pleases. He ''is'' radioactive.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'', Satan Girl and Berserker’s eyes show their lack of restrain or conscience.
-->The focus of the image came back to the lone warrior, or berserker, or... hell, just call him a murderer. His visage was less distinct than those of the Apokolips pair, probably because the computer didn’t have a model from which to work. Still... the eyes. She could make out enough of them to see something there, a fury, a lack of conscience, a lack of superego with which to restrain the id.\\
Eyes that, in another face, could have belonged to Satan Girl.
* This comes into play in ''Fanfic/TheVow'' when Lord Shen proposes Lady Lianne shortly after their FirstKiss. Before Lianne gives her answer, she wants to make sure the man she's about to spend the rest of her life with feels true love instead of temporary infatuation towards her. She does this by looking into Shen's eyes and searching from them a spark which according to the fairytales her mother used to tell her can tell you if the person truly loves you. Lianne finds from Shen's unguarded gaze not a spark, but scorching flames and agrees to marry him.
* Briefly discussed in ''Fanfic/GuardiansWizardsAndKungFuFighters''. When Jade first meets [[EvilOverlord Phobos]], she initially notes that he's the most normal-looking of everyone in his court. Then she looks into his eyes and sees nothing but an empty void, and realizes that there's just something ''[[UncannyValley wrong]]'' with him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* In ''Film/BigEyes'', Margaret explains that a combination of this and hearing loss she had in her childhood are the reasons why she paints the way she does.
* Played for laughs in Creator/LaurelAndHardy's ''Film/TheBohemianGirl'', where the exact phrase is used to justify touching the person's closed eyelids to read their fortune -- so the "fortune teller" can pick their pockets.
* [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] in ''Film/TheForceAwakens''.
-->'''Maz Katana:''' If you live long enough, you see the same eyes in different people.
* The titular Winter Soldier in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' has barely any lines and is wearing a mask over his mouth and nose for a significant portion of his time on screen, so most of the character's development comes through his very, very expressive eyes, along with facial expressions and body language. There is a substantial amount of meta online dissecting every minute expression he makes, much of it focused on his eyes.
* ''Film/{{Priest|2011}}'' uses this mentality as evidence that vampires are soulless monsters, as they lack eyes entirely.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' is the former TropeNamer, for the infamous "glint of triumph" Harry sees in Dumbledore's eyes in Book 4, which tipped everyone off that it's a huge setup.
* In ''Literature/DragonBones'', Ward describes Oreg as looking at him with "wounded eyes". Ward didn't harm him at the moment, but as it turns out later, Oreg has lots of psychological issues from being abused by Ward's ancestors. [[TheWoobie His soul is, indeed, wounded.]]
%%* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' is only too guilty of this.
* Juliet Marillier's ''Literature/TheSevenwatersTrilogy'' does this all the time, sometimes with more than one emotion at once, thus: "She saw a mixture of triumph and dread in his eyes."
* The last line of Richard Matheson's "The Splendid Source": [[spoiler:the hero has just been invited to join the AncientTradition he's been tracking down throughout the story. He's all but speechless ... "But, already, the light of consecration was stealing into his eyes."]]
* ''Literature/DannyTheChampionOfTheWorld'' is one of ''many'' works to discuss the phenomenon of the "eye smile" - twisting the corners of your lips upwards looks [[TechnicallyASmile nothing like a real smile]] unless the eyes are doing the right thing (which in real life is probably [[DoingInTheWizard squinting slightly]] rather than reflecting the innermost workings of the soul, but TruthInTelevision nonetheless).
** Another Creator/RoaldDahl novel, ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', uses this trope with regards to Willy Wonka. In the detailed description of his appearance that opens Chapter 14 (in which he makes his first public appearance in years), his eyes are given special attention: they "were most marvelously bright. They seemed to be sparkling and twinkling at you all the time. The whole face, in fact, was alight with fun and laughter." This turns out to be a sign of his merry, mischevious {{Trickster}} nature.
* A major theme of ''Literature/{{Coraline}}'', where the [[TheFairFolk Other Mother]] has button eyes and wants to [[EyeScream give Coraline the same.]]
* In ''Literature/CodexAlera'' Alerans can tell that [[UncannyValley something's off]] with those [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Taken by the Vord]] because there's something wrong with their eyes. Interestingly, [[WolfMan Canim]] seem to have the same reaction with [[ExpressiveEars ears]]- one Canim character describes Taken Canim with "their ears didn't look right".
* In Literature/TheDresdenFiles wizards can see a person's soul with their Sight if eye contact is maintained (this is why you don't look at a wizard too long. They see too much). However, there's 3 drawbacks: the other person can see yours too, it only works once, and you never forget what you see. Ever.
* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' and the supplementary material, attention is often brought to Elves' bright eyes. From the descriptions they seem to invoke borderline UncannyValley in some characters, and especially evil-leaning characters are terrified from looking Elves' in the eyes, and even good-aligned mortals feel awe from them. The supplementary material explains explicitly that the fire of the Elvish spirit shines through their eyes much more strongly than mortal spirit.
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' series, characters get a hint that someone is evil or deceptive because they have a smile that does not touch their eyes. In truth, a genuine smile does contort the eyes, and it is apparently impossible to fake this.
** True enough. About half the muscles involved in a true smile are not under voluntary control. When you fake a smile these muscles don't activate, and since several of them connect to the portion of your skull around the eyes...
* A major recurring theme in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''.
** Going back to the very first book in the series, ''Discworld/TheColourOfMagic'', is the idea the eyes are a clue to your true nature because they are the only part of your body that cannot be magically disguised, something true for gods as well as mortals. This becomes a plot point in ''Discworld/WitchesAbroad'', where a character has to wear dark glasses to conceal the fact that [[spoiler:he's a frog transmogrified into a human]].
** This carries into ''Literature/GoodOmens'', though not a ''Discworld'' book, where Crowley the demon has HellishPupils that he hides behind [[SunglassesAtNight permanent sunglasses]].
** The inherent wrongness of the Cunning Man, the shade of a fanatical witch-hunter, is highlighted by his "eyes", which are simply empty holes.
** On the other hand this is thoroughly lampshaded in ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', at least when dealing with the non-supernatural. BoxedCrook Moist Von Lipwig notes that "a firm handshake and a steady, honest gaze" are the most basic skills a con man needs, and he can deliver them on cue. The book's BigBad, also a con man, has also perfected his (one-eyed) honest gaze... but that also confirms his completely dishonest nature when he tries it on Moist.
* When Elizabeth Wakefield meets the "evil twin" Margo in ''Literature/SweetValleyHigh'', she thinks that "If the eyes are the windows to the soul, this girl is evil because her eyes are cold."
* In ''Literature/MarginPlay'', Amber says this about Kasey during the meeting in the bar.
--> People say that the eyes are the windows to the soul; it's true, but only when the person being viewed opens that window. Charles Kasey chose that moment to, and I knew what I saw behind the black humor and artful apathy; something old and ugly and very human. Something society has always been too frightened to examine but depends on just the same. I wanted to look away but I didn't.
* In ''Literature/TheChildrenOfMan'', the color of a person's eyes indicates their magical talent. Blue mages have blue eyes, yellow mages golden eyes, etc. Brown eyes indicate someone who can use several magic talents, while Grays have reflective silver eyes.
* Appears in many different ways in ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive''. First, when someone inhales the titular Light, their eyes start to glow as it leaks back out. Second, when someone becomes a Knight Radiant or bonds a Shardblade, their eyes turn from dark to light, and for this reason the lighteyes form the noble caste. Third, if you kill someone with a Shardblade (which "severs the soul" instead of cutting living flesh), their eyes burn up. Also [[spoiler: the true forms of "dead" spren in Shadesmar appear to have their eyes scratched out like a damaged painting.]]
* In the third book of ''Literature/TheQueensThief'', after spending most of the book believing Eugenides to be ineffectual, vain, and irritating, Costis finds himself looking directly into Eugenides' eyes shortly after an unsuccessful assassination attempt. He describes it as things which are not hidden, but which Eugenides is choosing not to reveal, and is both unnerved and awed by the insight.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Played with in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E4TheTimeOfAngels "The Time of Angels"]]; [[spoiler: "The eyes are not the windows of the soul, they are the doors." As if [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E10Blink those things]] needed to be even more terrifying.]]
* ''Series/TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles'': "They say the eyes are the window to the soul. Your eyes look tired. Is your soul tired?"
* In one episode of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'', Fyers says he requires his men to wear balaclavas because then only the eyes are revealed, so his men are somehow ''more'' recognizable to him, which is how he can spot that [[spoiler:Oliver]] is actually an intruder.
* In the pilot episode of George Lopez, George participates in a test involving firing his mother. He was unknown to the fact that it was merely a test, and when he figured out, he confronted her telling her he fired her and passed the test. She proceeds to deny it and George says "You know how you can look into someone's eyes to tell if they're lying?" After a brief delay, his mother says "Oh man, you fired me! You had the courage to fire your own mother; They finally dropped!"
* Parodied in ''Series/NewsRadio'', when Bill insists that "the eyes are the window of the skull".
-->'''Dave:''' I believe you mean 'soul'.
-->'''Bill:''' For those who have one, yes.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* ''Eyes'' by Kaskade featuring Mindy Glendhill features the trope's name right in the chorus.
* {{Music/Eagles}} "Lyin' Eyes:
--> I thought by now you'd realize\\
There ain't no way to hide your lyin eyes
* Asia's "Only Time Will Tell":
--> You're leaving now\\
It's in your eyes\\
There's no disguising it
* The Sanford-Townsend Band; "Smoke from a Distant Fire":
-->I know where you goin' to\\
I knew when you came home last night\\
'Cause your eyes had a mist\\
from the smoke of a distant fire
* ''Demons'' by ''Music/ImagineDragons'':
-->When you feel my heat\\
Look into my eyes\\
It's where my demons hide\\
It's where my demons hide
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'': "I swore I saw a glint of satisfaction in Kain's eye when the Soul Reaver was destroyed."
* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'', Wallace decides to disobey his orders to capture "an imposter and two disloyal knights" when he meets them and declares that Lyn's eyes are too bright and true to be those of a liar.
* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicII'', the Jedi Exile doesn't appear outwardly scarred by their war experiences, but when conversing with a male Exile, Mira says that his eyes are years older than his face.
* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight: Heaven's Feel'', Shirou knows that Rider is now his ally, but still feels uncomfortable around her- partly because she wears a blindfold all the time.
* In ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', the SA-X is an exact physical replica of Samus Aran produced by the [[TheAssimilator X Parasites]], with the exception of its BlankWhiteEyes indicating its nature as TheSoulless.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'', when a student teacher gets a good look into Keima's eyes, she ''freaks out''.
-->'''Jun:''' Expecting nothing from reality...those are eyes that are from another world looking in.
* Creator/KatsuhiroOtomo is a master of this.
** Pretty much everyone in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7WSxNoEDb4 this clip]] from ''{{Anime/Steamboy}}''.
** Ao from ''Anime/FreedomProject''. Although something of a ShrinkingViolet outwardly, she has an absolutely fierce gaze that almost foreshadows her later heroics.
* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' the titular character realizes that Gaara's eyes are just like his own: Full of loneliness.
* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', the first that tipped off Nanoha that Fate wasn't as bad as she seemed was her "[[StoicWoobie beautiful yet lonely eyes]]".
* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' has Myotismon outright telling Gatomon he hates her eyes and doesn't like her looking at him because they shine with hope, and it was something he tried to beat out of her.
[[/folder]]

** Going back to the very first book in the series, ''Discworld/TheColorOfMagic'', is the idea the eyes are a clue to your true nature because they are the only part of your body that cannot be magically disguised, something true for gods as well as mortals. This becomes a plot point in ''Discworld/WitchesAbroad'', where a character has to wear dark glasses to conceal the fact that [[spoiler:he's a frog transmogrified into a human]].

Has no relation to [[UsefulNotes/MacOS Mac of the soul]]. Compare and contrast WindowsToTheSoul, which express personality or power instead of emotion.

* A major recurring theme in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', going back to the very first book in the series, is that the eyes are a clue to your true nature because they are the only part of your body that cannot be magically disguised, something true for gods as well as mortals. This becomes a plot point in ''Discworld/WitchesAbroad'', where a character has to wear dark glasses to conceal the fact that [[spoiler:he's a frog transmogrified into a human]].