Cajas de Carton

Many creatures appear throughout The Circuit, but caterpillars/butterflies are the most commonly referenced and are the most obvious symbol of hope, miracles, and new life. What are the key moments when caterpillars/butterflies appear throughout the text? Reflect upon and analyze these moments in the text, asking yourself the following questions to dive deeper: 

• What are the circumstances happening in characters’ lives when caterpillars/butterflies appear? What are the first and last moments when characters see a caterpillar/butterfly?
• Are these moments of hope, desperation, or something else? How would you characterize the mood in these scenes?
• Do caterpillars/butterflies hold symbolic meaning for the narrator alone? Or for other characters?

Teaching Suggestion: Butterflies are symbolic of the change and growth that the narrator and his family experience throughout the book, connoting in particular moments new life and positivity. If students struggle to identify or interpret these moments in the plot, consider directing them to  the pertinent scenes in “Inside Out” and Mama’s dream in “Miracle in Tent City.”

Differentiation Suggestion: Consider offering students who struggle with abstractions and/or students who demonstrate naturalistic intelligences (or an interest in the topic) an alternative to answering the last two bulleted questions above: Starting with Scientific American’s “How Does a Caterpillar Turn Into a Butterfly?”, research the science behind a caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly; then, use your findings to compare the narrator’s journey through the novel to a caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly.