Judging the book by its cover

I look at this book every day and it didn't occur to me until now to actually analyze and think deeper into not what was inside the book, but what was on the outside: the cover.

The cover consists of two butterflies, both slightly different in appearance. Looking even further, which also means I could also be further off, the butterfly that is made up of two different colours could potentially represent bilingualism or one being having more than one culture implemented in their life. While the solid coloured one could represent or a more monotonous cultured person, Poh-Poh and the Chinese elders for example. They believe in one culture: Old China.


The butterlies also look somewhat immobile; not in flight. They almost looked like they are pinned down, but not physically since there are no pins present, but mentally. This could symbolize Kiam and his younger siblings. As they are growing up in a completely different society than the one the older generation grew up in, there will be inevitable change. Butterflies change inevitably as well. But if they are pinned down, they cannot do anything with this new change. I think Kiam and his younger siblings may feel pinned down by the older generation's want to keep them close to their origin culture (Old China), even though they are a part of a new generation in a new place. They need to accept this change in order to be successful in Gold Mountain. What Poh-Poh and the other elders need to understand is that Gold Mountain isn't China, new places come with new experiences and change.


After quick research, I discovered that in Chinese culture two butterflies being together symbolize love; so does the colour red. It also represents a happy social life for the young. This might mean that all that matters is that you love and are loved in your life.
In the western world, the symbol of the butterfly stands for freedom, fun and joyous times. In other cultures it is known to symoblize luck. Connecting this knowledge to the title of the book, I can see that all that matters is freedom, love, and luck.

But generally, butterflies are a symbol of transformation. Kiam, the narrator, goes through a lot of change and transformation; it's an important theme in the novel. It symbolizes new life from the old one: Kiam is not the same person as he was at the beginning of the novel, and I am sure he will continue to evolve and transform through the rest of the book.