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In The Sandman #21, some of the various members of the Endless families receive short biographic descriptions. Here's part of Delirium's (p 10):

For Delirium was once Delight. And although that was long ago now, even today her eyes are badly matched: one eye is a vivid emerald green, spattered with silver flecks that move; her other eye is vein blue.

Who knows what Delirium sees, through her mismatched eyes?

Is there a reason her eyes are two different colors? It appears from the above passage that it may have something to do with her development from Delight; is one color normally associated with delight, and the other with delirium?

The Wikia page says "One of her eyes is blue, and the other is green, though she can adjust them to the same color but says that hurts her," but doesn't mention why (in-universe or out) the eyes are different colors.

Shokhet
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    The best panel that I could find in my edition of the book is on page 8 (also found in a different question). However, that picture doesn't really show off the colors very well. – Shokhet May 01 '17 at 20:44
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    Similar(ish): https://literature.stackexchange.com/q/76/481 – Shokhet May 01 '17 at 21:29
  • Links: https://thedreaming.moteofdust.com/2008/07/15/the-sandman-frequently-asked-questions/#2.3, https://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/2014/05/19/eyes-windows-into-a-characters-soul/, http://siangriffiths.blogspot.com/2012/11/why-green-eyes-are-problem-in-fiction.html, https://speculativeintent.com/2013/09/05/your-characters-eye-color-doesnt-matter/, http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GreenEyes. – Shokhet May 01 '17 at 22:16
  • Moar links: https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Green_Eyes, https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Blue_Eyes. – Shokhet May 01 '17 at 22:27
  • I believe there was a quote by Todd Klein which said this was because she was in a state of transition, and this was further reinforced by Neil Gaiman who said "she changed, and she's eventually change into something else". I was thinking about writing an answer for some time now, but the prospect of leafing through The Sandman Companion again is scary. – Gallifreyan Jul 03 '17 at 17:47

1 Answers1

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We can start by remembering the occasion when her eyes aren't of two colours:

Destiny: "It is... refreshing... to see you so collected."
Brief Lives, chapter 7.

For a moment in Destiny's garden Delirium regains her sanity, reminding Destiny of the days when she was Delight.

"Dream? What did he tell you?" "Delirium?" "It's still me." "But...?" "If you're going to fall apart, then one of us has to keep this thing going. Please get up. I don't know how much longer I can be like this. It hurts very muchly." "Your eyes are the same color." "So? I can do that. I can do that if I have to."
Ibid.

Though it's not evident from the illustrations (colouring errors are notorious when it comes to Delirium), Delirium's eyes are of the same colour when she's "collected".

Her eyes are of different colours to indicate that she is prone to split personalities - one moment she is kind, the other ruthless (e.g. when she gave the poor policeman the bugs).

Delirium's overall appearance is also changing, more so that her siblings'. Per Neil Gaiman, Delirium is the most changing of her family due to her age, and "Delirium" is not necessarily her final form.

NG: I decided Delight would would make for a very appropriate past existence for Delirium, because she's a character I wanted in a state of flux - she's been one thing, she's become something else, and eventually she'll change into something else again.

HB: Is this state of flux unique to Delirium?

NG: Yes. It has to do with her being the youngest; she's practically a cosmic afterthought.
The Sandman Companion, chapter 13 "Secret Origin", page 241 (first edition).

She doesn't even care enough to remember which of her eyes the silver specks went to, if I'm remembering a page I can't find right now correctly.

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Gallifreyan
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