Niki answers “I have read he book awhile ago but I've...”

Lourde Michel asked this question about Before I Fall:

I have read he book awhile ago but I've never been able to fully get the symbols of it like the butterflies when she realizes that she's not falling into darkness but she is floating Instead of something like does it symbolize freedom? I always got confused about that and there are know symbol explanations online

Niki I always thought the mention of butterflies in the book was related to the "butterfly effect"--the idea that one little thing can change everything in…moreI always thought the mention of butterflies in the book was related to the "butterfly effect"--the idea that one little thing can change everything in a huge way. Her friend Ally also mentions she heard once that a burp can cause a thousand monarchs to take off halfway around the world (very much paraphrasing here; I couldn't find the quote online), but Sam refers back to this a few times throughout the book.

“It amazes me how easy it is for things to change, how easy it is to start off down the same road you always take and wind up somewhere new. Just one false step, one pause, one detour, and you end up with new friends or a bad reputation or a boyfriend or a breakup. It's never occurred to me before; I've never been able to see it. And it makes me feel, weirdly, like maybe all of these different possibilities exist at the same time, like each moment we live has a thousand other moments layered underneath it that look different.”

The book is about choice and consequence, and how huge of an impact your actions may have on someone (i.e. Juliet) without you even realizing the severity. When she saves Juliet at the end of the book, death no longer scares her because she knows she died with purpose, and she is no longer haunted by the mistakes she made in her life or the hurt she caused people. So in that sense, she is freed. (less)

flag

View 2 comments

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more