Discovering the Secret Identity in Summer of the Mariposas
What secret does the reader know in the novel 'Summer of the Mariposas' that the nurse in Zaragoza and the other girls do not know?
1) The secret about the mariposas
2) The location of the mariposas' summer hangout
3) The identity of the nurse in Zaragoza
4) The activities of the other girls in the summer
The Secret Identity in 'Summer of the Mariposas'
In the novel 'Summer of the Mariposas', the reader knows the true identity of the nurse in Zaragoza before the girls do - she is La Llorona, a figure from Mexican folklore.
In the novel 'Summer of the Mariposas' by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, the reader is aware of a fact that the nurse in Zaragoza and the other girls do not know: the true identity of the nurse in Zaragoza. Via the narration, the reader learns that the nurse is actually La Llorona, a legendary figure in Mexican folklore often depicted as a ghost of a woman who lost her children and now cries while looking for them in the river, causing misfortune to those who are near or hear her. But the girls in the story, including the sister narrating it, do not make this connection until later in their journey. This use of dramatic irony (where the reader knows something the characters do not) helps to create suspense within the story.
La Llorona's identity adds depth to the narrative, as her presence foreshadows events and adds an eerie element to the story. Discovering her true identity later on in the novel brings a new layer of understanding to the character and her motivations.