low spoiler: discussing butterfly imagery associated with a particular character and general themes
Butterflies come up seven times in Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. They’re an interesting, but not essential, detail that I enjoyed annotating. Here are 6 reasons why I took the time to annotate each time butterflies came up:
- Butterflies aren’t the only insects mentioned multiple times in Katabasis. The mindlessness of insects, in general, comes up fairly often as a sort of antithesis to the lofty “Life of the Mind” ideal that the book’s characters pursue.
- Butterflies also fit in with the book’s themes of transformation and change.
- Butterflies are closely associated with the side character Elspeth.
- Butterflies are tied to afterlife beliefs and symbolism worldwide, and Katabasis is in conversation with a lot of different texts, myths, tales, and symbolism about hell and the afterlife.
- There’s a tie in with Greek mythology. Psyche is depicted with butterfly wings.
6. Another reason I annotated butterflies: touch and butterfly kisses.
I won’t say much about this aspect of butterflies in the plot in order to keep this post spoiler light, but there are two plot moments that liken soft, intimate touch to butterfly wings. One is a moment of longing between Peter and Alice, the other a beautiful moment between Elspeth and Alice.
How to annotate butterflies in Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
You’ll need 8 tabs of the same color. One tab will be for your tab key. Using the page numbers below, find the quotes about butterflies and underline them. Then mark the margins next to that quote with a tab, butterfly doodle, or butterfly sticker. Some examples are in the picture below.
Butterfly Mentions in Katabasis
- Ch 2, p 29
- Ch 19, p 164
- Ch 12, p 194
- Ch 16, p 248
- Ch 18, p 285-7
- Ch 34, p 528
- Ch 35, p 538-9
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Annotate With Sara 