“Mom had just gotten back from Sydney, and she had brought me an immense, surpassingly blue butterfly, Papilio ulysses, mounted in a frame filled with cotton. I would hold it close to my face, so close I couldn't see anything but that blue. It would fill me with a feeling, a feeling I later tried to duplicate with alcohol and finally found again with Clare, a feeling of unity, oblivion, mindlessness in the best sense of the word.”
Explore This Quote Further
Modern Relevance
In this quote from Audrey Niffenegger's novel, the narrator describes a feeling of unity and peace brought on by a beautiful blue butterfly. This sense of awe and connection to nature is something that is still incredibly relevant in today's world, where many people seek solace and comfort in the natural world. This quote reminds us of the importance of finding moments of tranquility and unity in our busy lives, and the power of nature to provide us with a sense of calm and peace.
Example of Usage
In Audrey Niffenegger's novel, the character describes the overwhelming sense of mesmerization brought on by a beautiful butterfly handed down to her by her mother from a trip to Sydney. The imagery of the vivid blue butterfly creates a feeling of unity and bliss that she later attempts to replicate through various means.
Quote Analysis
In this quote from Audrey Niffenegger's novel, the narrator reflects on a vivid memory from their childhood involving a butterfly their mother brought back from Sydney. The intense blue color of the butterfly evoked a deep emotional response in the narrator, a feeling of unity and oblivion. This feeling of mindlessness, described as the best sense of the word, was later sought out through alcohol and ultimately found again in a relationship with Clare. This quote highlights the power of sensory experiences to evoke strong emotions and the ways in which we seek to recapture those feelings throughout our lives.
Reflection Questions:
As you read this passage from Audrey Niffenegger's novel, consider the following questions to delve deeper into the themes of unity, escapism, and emotional connections:
- How does the image of the blue butterfly evoke feelings of unity and connection for the narrator?
- In what ways do the narrator's subsequent attempts to recreate that feeling through alcohol and relationships reflect a longing for the same sense of oblivion and mindlessness?
- How does the physical act of holding the butterfly close to their face symbolize the intensity of the emotional experience for the narrator?
- Reflect on moments in your own life where you have felt a similar sense of unity, oblivion, or mindlessness. What triggers those feelings for you? How do you seek to recreate or preserve those moments in your memory?
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“The hardest lesson is Clare’s solitude. Sometimes I come home and Clare seems kind of irritated; I’ve interrupted some train of thought, broken into the dreary silence of her day. Sometimes I see an expression on Clare’s face that is like a closed door. She has gone inside the room of her mind and is sitting there knitting or something. I’ve discovered that Clare likes to be alone. But when I return from time traveling she is always relieved to see me.”
“As I penetrate Clare she looks at me and I think I don’t exist and a second later she turns her head and sees me. She cries out, not loudly, and looks back at me, above her, in her. Then she remembers, accepts it, this is pretty strange but it’s okay, and in this moment I love her more than life.”
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“...and I suddenly feel that Henry is there, incredible need for Henry to be there and to put his hand on me even while it seems to me that Henry is the rain and I am alone and wanting him- Clare”
“I feel like a pink worm in the core of this green room, as though I have eaten my way in and should be working on becoming a butterfly, or something. I’m not real awake, here, at the moment. I hear somebody coughing. I hear my heart beating and the high-pitched sound which is my nervous system doing its thing. Oh, God, let today be a normal day. Let me be normally befuddled, normally nervous; get me to the church on time, in time. Let me not startle anyone, especially myself. Let me get through our wedding day as best I can, with no special effects. Deliver Clare from unpleasant scenes. Amen.”
“Clare snores, quiet animal snores that feel like bulldozers running through my head. I want my own bed, in my own apartment. Home sweet home. No place like home. Take me home, country roads. Home is where the heart is. But my heart is here. So I must be home. Clare sighs, turns her head, and is quiet. Hi, honey, I'm home. I'm home.”