Pinch one's eyes shut with one's fingers

[nq:1]He laughed, then pinched his eyes shut with his fingers. If I can read the sentence literally, I guess he ... fingers. Do you think such action signifies some emotion in some cultures? The story is about the Philippines in 1870's.[/nq]
Did he pinch his own eyes shut, or someone else's?

[nq:1]Did he pinch his own eyes shut, or someone else's?[/nq]
His own eyes.

[nq:1]He laughed, then pinched his eyes shut with his fingers. If I can read the sentence literally, I guess he ... fingers. Do you think such action signifies some emotion in some cultures? The story is about the Philippines in 1870's.[/nq]
It would hardly be a cultural thing. Probably not an emotional display. Most likely a personal habit or single action. Without context, there's no way to

[nq:2]He laughed, then pinched his eyes shut with his fingers. ... some cultures? The story is about the Philippines in 1870's.[/nq]
[nq:1]It would hardly be a cultural thing. Probably not an emotional display. Most likely a personal habit or single action. Without context, there's no way to tell.[/nq]
All I can think of is that sometimes squinting and pulling the eyelids to the side is so

[nq:2]It would hardly be a cultural thing. Probably not an ... or single action. Without context, there's no way to tell.[/nq]
[nq:1]All I can think of is that sometimes squinting and pulling the eyelids to the side is sometimes a sign to mimic "Chinese" or "Japanese". Does that make any sense here?[/nq]
Only context would tell.

Donna Richoux filted:
[nq:2]It would hardly be a cultural thing. Probably not an ... or single action. Without context, there's no way to tell.[/nq]
[nq:1]All I can think of is that sometimes squinting and pulling the eyelids to the side is sometimes a sign to mimic "Chinese" or "Japanese". Does that make any sense here?[/nq]
When I hear the expression, I picture someone closing his ey

[nq:1]Only context would tell.[/nq]
Let me quote a little longer. The text is "When the elephants dance" by Tess Uriza Holthe.
"I will have the friar transferred. He will bother your family no more." Virgil laughed, then pinched this eyes shut with his fingers. "They will only replace him with another. I would rather keep him least I can anticipate his evil. To gain a new friar would be to

[nq:2]It would hardly be a cultural thing. Probably not an ... or single action. Without context, there's no way to tell.[/nq]
[nq:1]All I can think of is that sometimes squinting and pulling the eyelids to the side is sometimes a sign to mimic "Chinese" or "Japanese". Does that make any sense here?[/nq]
An odd take. I took it to mean he was laughing so much that he had tears in his eyes,

[nq:2]All I can think of is that sometimes squinting and ... mimic "Chinese" or "Japanese". Does that make any sense here?[/nq]
[nq:1]An odd take. I took it to mean he was laughing so much that he had tears in his eyes, or that at least he was pretending to squeeze imaginary tears from his eyes. "Pinch... shut" can't possibly mean "pulling... to the side".[/nq]
"Pinching the eyes shut" app

[nq:2]An odd take. I took it to mean he was ... eyes. "Pinch... shut" can't possibly mean "pulling... to the side".[/nq]
[nq:1]"Pinching the eyes shut" appears to be a fairly common expression to describe a firm closing of one's eyes (with no external help). Only when "with his fingers" is added does it become unusual, and, I'd say, quite so.[/nq]
It's hard to get right when wearing specta