White Oleander-Thematic Essay

Upon learning that her mother had begun writing to Claire, attempting to set up a meeting between the three of them, Astrid becomes unnerved, and tries to end the mail relationship between the two women. Claire was the best thing that ever happened to Astrid, and Astrid was not going to let Ingrid take that way from her. "[She] refused to see through her eyes any longer"(370). What we needed was someone who bled, someone deep and rich as a field, a wide-hipped mother, awesome, immense, women like huge soft couches, mothers coursing with blood, mothers big enough, wide enough mothers who would bleed or us when we could not breathe anymore, who would fight for us, who would kill for us, die for us"(423). An oleander is a beautiful yet dangerous and lethal plant; which parallel's Ingrid's character in the book. Many different techniques can be used in different instances to convey different ideas. Many other metaphors are utilized throughout the novel - Ingrid compares her and her daughter to the Norsemen "the ones who sacked Rome"(2). Later in the novel, after Claire's death, Astrid completely alters her life, in such a manner that her and her mother barely even speak. Living with her foster mothers, Astrid pursued the relationship between her and her mother through mail. She was not able to express her opinion and voice herself like Ingrid. Many different symbols and metaphors are used to help emphasize the feelings that are being conveyed. Astrid says, "no matter where I went, my compass pointed west. Astrid couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to go back to her mother, "to be [her] mother's daughter again … to be lost in her music again"(465). It comes clear to her while Yvonne is in labor and she calls out for her mother, as the rest of the women are doing in the labor and delivery rooms. And later, when Astrid is livid with Ingrid, she writes her in jail and tells her mother that "Rome is burning…take what you can before it all burns to ash"(372).