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Chapter 16
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Summer of the Mariposas, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Sisterhood, Motherhood, and Family
Magic, Myth, and Deception
Gender Dynamics and Female Solidarity
Kindness, Mercy, and Morality
Ancestral and Cultural Appreciation
Summary
Analysis
The girls and Abuelita wander along the misty shoreline of a lake filled with canoes steered by native Mexicans. As the sun rises, a woman (Ixtali) paddles up to them and says the Great Mother (Tonantzin) sent her to take them across the water to their own world. They board the canoe and sail away. Ixtali tells them this is Texcoco Lake, where Mamá’s people made their home. The lake is covered in small garden islands which Ixtali’s people—the Aztecs—tend in order to feed themselves. Ixtali also collects flowers for the mainland, and her gesture reveals a beautiful metropolis on the lake, the ancient city of Tenochtitlan.
This vision of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan is a beneficial illusion, intended not to deceive but to inspire the girls by showing them their majestic cultural heritage. The peaceful existence of the Garzas’ ancestors deepens their appreciation for the people who came before them, who are still watching over them, as evidenced by the quest they have been on.
Themes
Odilia asks Ixtali why they are so far away from home, and she responds that it is a gift from Tonantzin, a vision to remember where they came from as the move toward a brighter future. The girls thank her. After some time, the girls spot their swimming hole up ahead and capsize the boat in their excitement. They pull the boat to shore and bid Abuelita goodbye, promising to come visit soon. Ixtali reminds Odilia to pick the flowers before rowing away with Abuelita into the Rio Grande.
By granting the sisters this vision of their ancestral homeland, Tonantzin emphasizes the importance of remembering familial roots as one moves through contemporary life. Here, the novel suggests that the past offers great wisdom to those living in the present, and that heritage is worth engaging with. Though the sisters say goodbye to Abuelita, their connection to Mexico and its rich family history has grown stronger.
Themes
The girls walk through the woods in search of Tonantzin’s rosebushes, noting the absence of butterflies. When they find the roses, they are shining brightly, surrounded by hundreds of mariposas. Odilia and Velia set out to collect some, as per the goddess’s instructions, while the other sisters rest with Pita. Up close, the roses are iridescent, magical. Odilia cuts a large bouquet before Velia points out two border patrol trucks coming toward them. Odilia is grateful until Velia reminds her that they don’t have papers and Pita is hurt, making it likely the authorities will contact Child Protection Services.
Once again, the mariposas act as another guide, leading the girls to their final task of collecting Tonantzin’s special roses. The arrival of border patrol complicates the sisters’ return home, as dealing with the authorities means Mamá’s parenting is essentially on trial.
Themes
