Symbolism And Personification In Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behavior

“Flight Behavior” by Barbara Kingsolver is a brilliant and suspenseful novel set in present day Appalachia which concerns about a young wife and mother name Dellarobia Turnbow in Tennessee. Dellarobbia experiences a phenomenon that she cannot explain. Her discovery of a stunning sight of million of monarch butterflies covering trees energizes several groups. The author Barbara Kingsolver uses two literary devices throughout her novel, which are symbolism and personification. Kingsolver personifies the environment throughout the novel. Kingsolver describes the environment by stating statements such as “these looming conifers held an old grudge, peeved at being pissd over”, “the branches seem to writhe”, and “the burning trees were put here to

Many Monarch Butterflies have migrated incorrectly to a rural Tennessee mountain farm for winter rather than their usual location Mexico. The butterflies made a mistake in their migration, similarly to how Dellarobia made a mistake at the age of 17 with her husband Cub, leading to an early marriage. This made it difficult for her to go to college and become something. However, when she discovers the butterflies, she also meets a scientist name Ovid. Later in the novel, she starts learning more scientific knowledge about butterflies by working in a lab and receives a job as well. As shown, the butterflies represent her progression over time. The butterflies mis-migration in the novel also makes a text to world connection. The butterflies in the novel struggle against climate change. After a snowstorm, Dellarobia witnesses some butterflies renewing their flight patterns. For example, on page 160 of the novel, it is stated that “ Summer’s heat had never really arrived, nor the cold in it’s turn..seemed to yearn for sun.” This connection shows how rapidly climate change is occurring, meaning, that the Monarch Butterflies can be