Mythology in The Virgin Suicides - 561 Words

When one first thinks of mythology the first things that first come to mind are probably stories of Greek gods and goddesses, and the humans that prayed to them. We often forget that mythology does not end or begin with the Greeks. Authors have been using mythology for many would say centuries as a source for symbols, characters, situations, or images that conjures up universal feedback. In the case of â€Å"The Virgin Suicides† by Jeffrey Eugenides one of the archetypes that we see play out throughout the novel is the one of The Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary in â€Å"The Virgin Suicides† represents a sense of foreshadowing at the beginning and towards the end of the book, provide an allegory between the Libson girls and The Virgin Mary, and help†¦show more content†¦Cecilia is not known to be very religious; but yet, she is found holding a laminated picture of the Virgin Mary. As the story develops we almost forget this small but important detail amidst all the other symbols Eugenides throws at us but we come back to the laminated picture of the Virgin Mary during the last months of the remaining Libson girls lives. â€Å"Just as we had begun to despair of ever being near them again, more laminated pictures of the Virgin Mary began showing up† (Eugenides 182). We begin to see the significance of the laminated picture of the Virgin Mary had not only to the boys but also to the Libson girls. These cards were their only way of communicating with the outside world. They knew that if they left these cards the person who found them would know that it was coming from them because of the fact that Cecilia was found holding one on the day of her attempted suicide. The card Cecelia held and the last card the girls left were almost a sign of bad things to come. The last card the girls left said â€Å"Tomorrow. Midnight. Wait for our signal† (Eugenides 195). The remaining Libson girls wanted to in a way imitate the night their younger s ister’s failed suicide attempt. The Virgin Mary also provides an allegory between her, the archetype, and the Libson girls. In the Catholic church the Virgin Mary is the mother of of God andShow MoreRelatedRape : A Common Narrative Element2066 Words   |  9 PagesA common narrative element in most Greek and Roman mythology is rape, whether it be at the will of the gods or mortal man. From these unions, deities and heroes are born, and/or social institutions are reinforced. Most stories of rape follow a similar structure: the god, or man, sees a beautiful woman and fills with love or burning passion, he devises a plan/disguise to rape her, and the significant other learns of the affair and is vengeful. 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