24 Monarch Street

[AKWillett]

I hadn't thought of it this way! I agree, Eva is like the queen bee with Malin set to take her place.

[TRJ4SQ]

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rkubie wrote:

The houses we settle into and move out of through the course of Bees and Mist have extraordinary "personalities" of their own. How would you describe 24 Monarch Street, and what is it like for Meridia to grow up here? Is this house a home?

This house is only home to greviences of the past. It is no home for Merida. The glass and steel represent the cold, rigid, unyeilding and fragile emotions of her parents. It was a cold and lonely place to grow up.

What is behind the house's magical qualities?

The emotions and attitudes of Ravenna and Gabriel are responsible. I would guess it to be Ranvenna mostly.

we get a glimpse of 27 Orchard. What does Meridia see in that house that isn't in her own house?

Merida believes this to be a warm, inviting and comforting family environment. A house that is a home with occupants that are lively and alive.

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[GailF]

Vivian,

I really like your description of Meridia as the caterpillar, fragile, unnoticed, and waiting to change....27 Orchard does seem to offer more in the way of warmth and companionship, love and support...Not sure what Malin's problem is, but we'll find out for sure.....

Gail

[m3girl]

Besides the strange mist and the staircase and the mirrors...what I take away most from the house is the coldness - the temperature and the attitude between the residents.  What an awful place for a child to grow up - and no wonder she ditched as soon as she could...

Susan 

[marciliogq]

I first thought of Monarch as a kind of king or queen figure, someone who governed a country, for example. And I asked myself who was the monarch in that street. At the same time, reading somethings I discovered monarch butterflies and their poisonous characteristics. I do agree with some posts where questions about methamorphosis are related and mean Meridia's revelation to the world. But I think the magical elements of the house are, at this point, fruit of the energy the dwellers produce. For example, the ghost in the mirror or even the mists. The number 24 perhaps have an interesting interpretation. I realized in Mayan culture they multiply 20x20 to get a number near the days of the year which indicate a cycle of life and 4 can indicate the four elements in our lives. So, 24 can indicate a cycle rounded by the 4 elements. Why not to think as blue and yellow mists as indications of fire and sky.

About Orchad Street I immediately related apples to Eve. As I explore more the book I'll discuss it better.

[PiperMurphy]

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marciliogq wrote:

I first thought of Monarch as a kind of king or queen figure, someone who governed a country, for example. And I asked myself who was the monarch in that street. At the same time, reading somethings I discovered monarch butterflies and their poisonous characteristics. I do agree with some posts where questions about methamorphosis are related and mean Meridia's revelation to the world. But I think the magical elements of the house are, at this point, fruit of the energy the dwellers produce. For example, the ghost in the mirror or even the mists. The number 24 perhaps have an interesting interpretation. I realized in Mayan culture they multiply 20x20 to get a number near the days of the year which indicate a cycle of life and 4 can indicate the four elements in our lives. So, 24 can indicate a cycle rounded by the 4 elements. Why not to think as blue and yellow mists as indications of fire and sky.

About Orchad Street I immediately related apples to Eve. As I explore more the book I'll discuss it better.

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Hi Marcilio, Can you talk a little more about the poisonous characteristics of the monarch butterfly? I thought they were harmless creatures.

[meme1]

Monarchs are poisonous to animals that eat it.  Though the animal doesn't usually die from the poison, they will be ill enough to vomit.  Much like that house at that address.  I see it as a house - not a home, a whole different definition to those two words.

[DSaff]

Interesting thoughts, Marcil. 

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marciliogq wrote:

I first thought of Monarch as a kind of king or queen figure, someone who governed a country, for example. And I asked myself who was the monarch in that street. At the same time, reading somethings I discovered monarch butterflies and their poisonous characteristics. I do agree with some posts where questions about methamorphosis are related and mean Meridia's revelation to the world. But I think the magical elements of the house are, at this point, fruit of the energy the dwellers produce. For example, the ghost in the mirror or even the mists. The number 24 perhaps have an interesting interpretation. I realized in Mayan culture they multiply 20x20 to get a number near the days of the year which indicate a cycle of life and 4 can indicate the four elements in our lives. So, 24 can indicate a cycle rounded by the 4 elements. Why not to think as blue and yellow mists as indications of fire and sky.

About Orchad Street I immediately related apples to Eve. As I explore more the book I'll discuss it better.

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[marciliogq]

PiperMurphy,

 meme1 wrote something about the monarchs characteristics. If you want to know more about them perhaps this address can help you:

http://www.gpnc.org/monarch.htm

I agree to meme1 about the fragile defense of monarch butterflies and we can compare this to Meridia's one. She's always trying and failing in her defenses on life. And the place where she lives is a house, not home. We haven't there the comfort and safety we have at "a home".Meridia's house can be like a Monarch crysalis, a transitorious place where from caterpillars she'll be transformed into a butterfly.

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PiperMurphy wrote:

Hi Marcilio, Can you talk a little more about the poisonous characteristics of the monarch butterfly? I thought they were harmless creatures.

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[bookowlie]

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meme1 wrote:
Monarchs are poisonous to animals that eat it.  Though the animal doesn't usually die from the poison, they will be ill enough to vomit.  Much like that house at that address.  I see it as a house - not a home, a whole different definition to those two words.

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Thanks for the extra info about what happens to animals if they eat a monarch.  Also, good point about the house vs. a home.

[PiperMurphy]

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marciliogq wrote:

PiperMurphy,

 meme1 wrote something about the monarchs characteristics. If you want to know more about them perhaps this address can help you:

http://www.gpnc.org/monarch.htm

I agree to meme1 about the fragile defense of monarch butterflies and we can compare this to Meridia's one. She's always trying and failing in her defenses on life. And the place where she lives is a house, not home. We haven't there the comfort and safety we have at "a home".Meridia's house can be like a Monarch crysalis, a transitorious place where from caterpillars she'll be transformed into a butterfly.

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PiperMurphy wrote:

Hi Marcilio, Can you talk a little more about the poisonous characteristics of the monarch butterfly? I thought they were harmless creatures.

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Thanks for the explanation. The idea of the Monarch St. house as a crysalis makes sense. Meridia transforms as she grows, but Gabriel also transforms as he enters and leaves everyday. 

[marciliogq]

Have you realized practically all the places where Meridia walks are related to nature or places where butterflies can develop or even to her inner state: Cinema Garden, Independence Plaza, Monarch Street, Orchad Street, Majestic Avenue? In your opinion are these places important to the development of the story or the characters personalities changes?

[biljounc63]

the book went full circle..we stated at 24 Monarch St. and Ended at 24 Monarch St. Will history repeat itself? We can only wonder...

[LISA-BRYAN]

Monarchs are poisonous due to the fact that the caterpillars eat milkweed leaves.  Milkweeds have a white sap containing cyanide like compounds.  Sometimes the adults will injest the nectar from the milkweeds as well.  Most animals know not to eat a monarch butterfly or a caterpillar; however, some will try -- most often they will only get sick and vomit.  There have been some occassions when a bird eats a monarch butterfly and the bird dies... it all depends on the concentrations of the poision in their body.  Another interesting tid bit is that the Viceroy butterfly mimics the monarch because they look very similar....thus the viceroy is usually not eaten.  The viceroy does not eat poisonous leaves -- just looks like the monarch.

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meme1 wrote:
Monarchs are poisonous to animals that eat it.  Though the animal doesn't usually die from the poison, they will be ill enough to vomit.  Much like that house at that address.  I see it as a house - not a home, a whole different definition to those two words.

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