The Myths Helena Maria Viramontes Summary

In "The Moths," Helena Maria Viramontes uses irony and symbolism to depict how relationships with family can have valued purpose; however, death and its attended grief brings on a new beginning.
In the beginning, Viramontes expounds on the narrator’s relationship with immediate family and Abuelita. Doing this, she uses extended metaphor, when expounding on her sister’s characterization of her having “bull like hands with their cute like voices”(27). Her bull hands become a symbol which connotes the idea that she feels ugly or manly compared to her sisters who have “water like voices" which perceives them as ideal females. While she has a horrible relationship with her immediate family, the relationship with grandmother is tranquil and respectful. When comparing the two relationships the narrator has with her sisters and Abuelita, Viramontes …show more content…
While the narrator is beginning to make this strong bond with Abuelita, she dies. While cradling Abuelita after her death the narrator says to herself “[Abuelita’s] hair fell back and spread across the water like eagles wings, dying is lonely and I wanted to go where the moths were”(32). The eagles wings become a symbol of freedom, and the moths going to the light symbolizes Abuelita’s soul going to heaven. “the bathroom was filled with moths, and for the first time in a long time [she] cried, rocking us, crying for me, for her, for Ama”(32). Abuelita’s death helps the narrator realize her desperate need for her mother even when compared to her sisters she doesn’t belong also that she doesn't have anyone to turn to but her family. When the narrator continues to cry until finally “ the sobbs rippled into circles and circles of sadness and relief” (32). She comes to the realization that her grandmother was portraying to her that family is all you have and its importance in building a strong bond between