Symbolism In The Moths

Literature serves as a medium through which readers can learn an intangible lesson that goes beyond surface from crafted characters. Such is the case with the short story by Helena, “The Moths” in which readers dive into a symbolic not so modern East Los Angeles, strategically selected to teach about not only family but cultural expectations on the youth and individual spiritual growth. The narrator of the short story is a 14 year old girl who finds herself being an outsider in her family, in society. To an extent, she toys with the existentialist perspective wondering herself what her purpose is and why she fails to please those that look down on her as she strays away from religious expectations. This story can best be described as a rite

As described early on, she is cast aside, abused and acknowledgedly self destructive which the story serves to amplify through usage of religious and sensatory symbolism. To commence, it is important to recognize the narrator’s character and how she is portrayed as nothing more than an annoying, rebellious, trouble seeking, unpassionate girl. She has been described this way to the point where she herself lives up to the label, dealing with the repercussions from her family. Prime example of this observation would be when she was ridiculed for not being feminine like the other girls, “...my sisters laughed and called me Bull Hands with their cute water like voices.” From this point on, she refused to try these activities and instead decided to accept her label as fact and limit herself. Even with her family who is supposed to demonstrate unconditional love and support, she felt neglected. Her father was not pleased with the fact that she would not go to church and made a point to physically make her follow this cultural expectation. In her words, “ He would grab my arm and dig his nails into me to make sure I understood the importance of catechism”. This demonstrates the extent of how out of place she feels and reflects the weight of