Butterfly Boy: Memories of a Chicano Mariposa
53 pages • 1-hour read
Rigoberto GonzálezButterfly Boy: Memories of a Chicano Mariposa
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Essay Topics
Rigoberto González’s timeline constantly shifts between the past and present. Why does he organize his memoir in this way?
Discuss the book’s title and subtitle. In what way is González a “Butterfly Boy”? Why is the title in English but the subtitle in Spanish?
Address the function of memory and storytelling in González’s memoir. In what ways is memory tied to geography?
How does González explore racial and class barriers in the memoir?
What is the role of reading and writing in the memoir?
What is the metaphorical significance of the bus journey throughout the text?
Discuss the evolution of Rigoberto’s relationship with his father. How does their relationship change from his childhood into his early adulthood?
Analyze Rigoberto’s gay identity throughout his young life. How does he portray the relationship between childhood development and sexuality?
To what effect does González use erotic language? When and how is this language employed?
Rigoberto describes the final “Ghost Whisper to My Lover” as a “token of forgiveness.” What does this mean? What forms of forgiveness are seen throughout Butterfly Boy?
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