I Wanted to Return to the Waters of the Womb with Her and We Would Never Be Alone Again. (171)

The Moths

Helena Maria Viramontes

About the Author: Viramontes was born into a Mexican-American family on February 26, 1954. She grew up around the Chicano movement in East Los Angeles, an event that played a significant role in her development as a writer. She studied English literature in college and later attended the graduate program in creative writing at UC Irvine. Viramontes highlights the struggles that young women face as they mature into themselves, yet at the same time,stay true to their cultural values. Many of her stories deal with isolation, life changes, and living in the past. They also feature strong female characters, many of them being children. A common theme she stresses is a love of life, despite poverty and other challenges faced.

Important Quotations:

“I wanted to return to the waters of the womb with her and we would never be alone again.” (171)

“It made me feel, in a strange sort of way, safe and guarded and not alone. Like God was supposed to make you feel.” (169)

“Although endings are inevitable, they are necessary for rebirth.” (171)

“The moths that lay within the soul and slowly eat the spirit up” (171)

Discussion Questions:

(please pick 3)

1. What do the moths represent?

2. How do the narrator's hands reflect her character?

3. What connection can you make between Viramontes' own background and the values present in the story?

4. Describe how Viramontes explores feminism.

5. Where does the narrator feel uncomfortable? Where is her sanctuary? Explain.

6. How does the narrator’s relationship with her family differ from her relationship with her Abuelita?

Setting

Where the story occurs... time, place, environment.

From the setting, one can interpret the mood, idea, and meaning of the story and its characters.

Abuelita's Porch Chapel

Abuelita's Kitchen Bathtub

“Writing is truly my meditation to the world” -Helena Maria Viramontes