What is the meaning of the moths by Helena Maria Viramontes?

Moths in the story are described as “fluttering to light” as they make their way upwards to the light in the bathroom. In this case, the moths symbolize Abuelita, and the light symbolizes her journey towards God. Finally, the author sends the message that organized religion is not the only way to find God.

What is the theme for the moths?

The themes presented in this story are transformation, death, and the power of love, also the writer uses magical realism as part of the story. In “the Moths” the girl experiences the death …show more content…

How does viramontes use literary techniques to portray the complex narrator?

Several different literary techniques are used in the story to enrich purpose. Juxtaposition and diction are used by Viramontes to develop complex meaning. Juxtaposition of the church and the main character’s grandmother is used to provide more depth into how important the grandmother is to the narrator.

What is the point of view in the moths?

First Person (Central) Despite being nameless, the narrator is the person we follow through the story as she’s directly involved in the action of everything that unfolds. This is a stark and vulnerable moment, one in which our often brusque leading lady shows incredible tenderness.

Who is the main character in the moths?

“The Moth’s” main character is the narrator. Through the narrator’s recounting, we see the relationship with her family, her Abuelita, and herself. At the beginning of the story the narrator explains how her “hands were too big” to do the things the other girls could and that she would often use …show more content…

Is the moths a coming of age story?

By Helena Maria Viramontes Oftentimes characters in the coming-of-age genre go from childhood to adulthood in terms of years. This story’s so short that this isn’t the case for our narrator, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t change a good bit and do some serious growing up.

What is the setting in the moths?

“The Moths” takes place in East Los Angeles, in the neighborhood where the author grew up. First Street really does run alongside the Evergreen Cemetery between Lorena and Evergreen, the route the narrator describes in the story (9).

What is the conflict of the moths?

The girl is angry at her masculine differences and strikes out at her sisters physically. Apa tries to make his daughter conform to his strict religious beliefs, which she refuses to do and her defiance evokes abuse.

What is the plot of the story of the moth?

Set in 1913 Northumbria, England, the story is about Robert Bradley, a strong-willed young worker at a Jarrow shipyard, who arrives home one day to find that his father has died. Even worse Carrie will not say who the real father is because she has always had a crush on Robert, and would rather marry him.

What is the narrator’s name in the moths?

Bull Hands Despite being our main character, we never learn the narrator’s name. But that doesn’t mean we don’t know much about her—she is our main character, after all. So let’s try to flesh out this nameless leader of ours.

What type of story is The Moths?

first-person narrative
The story is a first-person narrative of a Latina granddaughter reminiscing about her relationship between her family, most especially her grandmother, when she was a teenage girl.

Why is The Moths considered magic realism?

Magic realism is used to describe Abuelita’s rebirth as the moths carry her soul through the doors of heaven. The theme of “The Moths” is produced mainly by the character, conflict, and language of the story.

What is the story of the moths about?

Essentially this is a coming-of-age story, of a young girl who, in rebellion against her own patriarchal family, seeks comfort in the company of her grandmother and, in easing the grandmother through death, finds her own spiritual core.

How old is the narrator of the moths?

Word Count: 784 When the narrator was fourteen years old, her elderly grandmother Abuelita (Mama Luna), who was dying of cancer, asked her to help take care of her.

Why was the moth chosen as her caretaker?

She explains that she is not chosen as her caretaker because she is a favorite grandchild or because she is especially good at anything; in fact, she lacks the skills and personality of her sisters and finds herself in trouble more often than not.

When do moths come out of Abuelita’s mouth?

The narrator strokes her cheek and tells her that “I heard you, Abuelita.” She takes her grandmother to the tub to wash her body, and when she does, moths begin to emerge from Abuelita’s mouth.