If These Wings Could Fly
Chapter Thirty-Four
by McCauley, KyrieIn the opening of Chapter Thirty-Four, the narrator confronts a poignant moment of denial and acceptance. Upon descending the stairs, they initially avoid noticing the restored window and the vase placed neatly on the coffee table, symbols of a return to normalcy that feel unsettling. Despite the rain, the narrator takes deliberate action to discard the shattered remnants of the vase, an act that signifies letting go of the past and an attempt to move forward amidst emotional turmoil. This sets a tone of internal conflict and the struggle to reconcile with recent events.
The scene shifts focus to the front yard, where the presence of crows becomes a powerful symbol. The tree, once leafy and vibrant, is now bare but teeming with black birds, evoking a haunting atmosphere. Among them, a crow named Joe delivers a note from Juniper, pleading for help. This unexpected communication through the crows introduces an element of mystery and connection between the characters and nature, highlighting the crows’ role as messengers and possibly protectors. The narrator’s emotional response underscores the significance of this plea.
Further deepening the narrative, Joe retrieves a wedding band belonging to the narrator’s father, linking tangible family history to the unfolding story. The discovery of the ring and the lost wallet suggests that Juniper’s intentions were not merely practical but also emotional, seeking meaningful connections through these objects. The narrator’s reflection on this act reveals a layered understanding of Juniper’s actions and the symbolic weight of these personal items, emphasizing themes of loss, memory, and hope.
The chapter concludes with an exploration of crow behavior, informed by the narrator’s correspondence with an ornithologist. Crows are portrayed as intelligent creatures capable of reciprocity and holding grudges, which invites speculation about their understanding of the household’s dynamics. This insight adds depth to the narrative, raising questions about the crows’ motives and their relationship with the characters. The ambiguity surrounding whether the crows found or stole the wallet leaves readers contemplating the blurred lines between nature and human experience.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of the restored window and vase in the narrator’s morning experience, and how does it affect their emotional state?
Answer:
The restored window and vase symbolize an unsettling return to normalcy that the narrator struggles to accept. Initially, the narrator tries to ignore the fact that the broken window glass is back in place and the vase is centered on the coffee table, as these details conflict with their memories of the previous night’s chaos. This restoration evokes a sense of wrongness and emotional discomfort, highlighting their internal conflict and denial. The narrator’s decision to remove the vase and bury the broken shards symbolizes a desire to reject this false normal and hold onto the reality of what has happened, indicating their struggle to process recent events emotionally.2. How do the crows, particularly Joe, function symbolically and narratively in this chapter?
Answer:
The crows, especially Joe, serve as enigmatic messengers and symbols of intelligence and communication between the natural world and the narrator. The imagery of the tree filled with black birds after all the leaves have fallen emphasizes a haunting and watchful presence. Joe’s interactions—clutching notes from Juniper and returning lost objects like the wedding band—highlight the birds’ cognitive abilities and their role in the unfolding story. Narratively, they bridge the gap between human characters and nature, suggesting themes of reciprocity, memory, and perhaps judgment or retribution, as the narrator reflects on crows’ capacity for holding grudges. Joe’s behavior prompts the narrator to question the crows’ understanding and involvement with the household’s mysteries.3. Based on the narrator’s reflections and research, what characteristics of crows are revealed, and how do these traits influence the interpretation of their actions in the chapter?
Answer:
The narrator’s research reveals that crows are highly intelligent creatures capable of understanding reciprocity—exchanging gifts for food—and also capable of retribution, meaning they can hold grudges. These traits influence the interpretation of the crows’ actions, such as returning Juniper’s leather cuff bracelet and the father’s wedding band. This suggests that the crows are not merely random animals but intentional participants in the story’s events. Their behavior can be seen both as helpful and possibly vengeful. This duality raises questions about the crows’ motives and their symbolic role, inviting readers to consider the complexity of their interactions with humans and the household.4. What does the discovery of the father’s wedding band imply about Juniper’s activities and the unfolding situation?
Answer:
The discovery of the father’s wedding band in the grass, brought by Joe, implies that Juniper has been actively searching for meaningful objects related to their father, possibly as part of a larger effort to cope or communicate. The narrator realizes Juniper did not search the truck for practical reasons but instead went out in the rain to find or check for gifts, which aligns with the crow’s behavior of exchanging items. This discovery also suggests that Juniper may be using the crows as intermediaries or allies in their quest, highlighting a mysterious and possibly supernatural element in the narrative. It deepens the emotional stakes and suggests a connection between the characters, nature, and the unresolved tensions in the household.5. How does the chapter explore the theme of perception versus reality through the narrator’s experience?
Answer:
The chapter explores perception versus reality by depicting the narrator’s struggle to reconcile what they see with what they feel is true. At first, the narrator tries to ignore the window’s restored glass and the vase’s perfect placement, attempting to perceive the scene as normal despite their intuition telling them otherwise. This tension between what is visible and what is emotionally or psychologically real underscores the difficulty of accepting change or loss. The presence of the crows and their mysterious actions further complicate reality, blurring the line between natural phenomena and symbolic meaning. The narrator’s reflections invite readers to consider how perception can be selective and influenced by emotional needs, while reality may hold uncomfortable truths that must eventually be faced.
Quotes
1. “IN THE MORNING WHEN I HURRY down the stairs, I want to ignore it. I want to let my eyes do that thing where they slip right past the window without seeing the wrongness. Without realizing the glass is back in the window frame, intact.”
This opening quote sets the emotional tone of the chapter, revealing the narrator’s initial denial and struggle to accept an unsettling change in their environment. It encapsulates the theme of confronting uncomfortable realities despite the desire to avoid them.
2. “I grab it and run outside to the garbage bins. It’s raining, but I don’t care; I take my time and bury it deep, in the same bag where I swept its shards last night.”
This passage highlights a deliberate act of disposal that symbolizes the narrator’s attempt to bury past damage and move forward. It marks a turning point where avoidance shifts into action, reflecting the chapter’s exploration of coping mechanisms.
3. “Joe caws from the lowest branch of the tree, and I walk over to him. I tug a slip of paper that is clenched to the branch under his claw and find Juniper’s sprawling handwriting. ‘Dear Joe, please help us.’”
This moment introduces a mysterious message that deepens the narrative’s intrigue. It exemplifies the chapter’s motif of communication and connection between humans and crows, suggesting a plea for aid that drives the unfolding events.
4. “I’ve been emailing back and forth with the ornithologist I interviewed, and I’ve learned a lot. Crows are actually exceptionally bright creatures. They can understand reciprocity, like leaving Juniper gifts in exchange for food. Like returning her leather cuff bracelet when she lost it. They can also understand retribution. They hold grudges.”
This insightful quote conveys key information about crow behavior, providing a scientific context that enriches the story. It reveals the complexity of the crows’ intelligence and emotional capacity, framing their interactions with the characters as meaningful and deliberate.
5. “Maybe the crows found the wallet where it was dropped, and somehow knew to return it to Juniper. Or maybe the crows stole it in the first place.”
Ending with this ambiguous reflection, the narrator questions the crows’ intentions, emphasizing the enigmatic nature of their actions. This quote encapsulates the chapter’s central tension between trust and suspicion, leaving readers pondering the intelligence and motives of these birds.