This short story really kind of hit home for me when I read it. There is a lot of emotion, and love within it. The idea of loss and trying to hold on to love is very prominent and relevant in this story as well as my life. Also, the butterfly plays a large story-telling role that is almost understated in the actual writing. When my mother's mom was struggling with cancer she told my mom that she wants to become a butterfly once she dies. She told my mom that every time she sees a Monarch butterfly, it will be her.
While reading this story the butterflies really stood out to me. The female character says that butterflies are symbols of death or happy news, depending on their coloration. The black butterflies warn her of death, while the colorful ones bring good news. The female character also used to sketch butterflies before her love left her. I think that it is interesting that once her love left her, she no longer wanted to see the sun to sketch her butterflies, and yet at the end of the story she sees all black butterflies which convince her that her love has died. The reason this aspect is so interesting to me is because my grandmother picked Monarchs as the butterfly she wished to become after death. Monarchs are some of the most brightly colored, most beautiful butterflies around. And they are migrational. Maybe I am stretching my ideas to fit within the story but I couldn't help thinking it while I was reading. Since butterflies are migrational, they are at different places depending on the time of year. So it is strange that in her culture, one butterfly brings good news, and one a warning of death. As if the changing of seasons brings new news. Like rebirth in the spring, and death in the winter. I just think that it is strange that butterflies, something so beautiful, could be twisted to be a reminder of something so terrible, like the loss of a loved one. A boyfriend, a grandmother, a friend.
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