59 pages • 1 hour read
Where Butterflies Wander
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Historical Context: The Afghanistan War of 2001-2021
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and child death.
The Afghanistan War of 2001-2021 was a war on Afghan soil between the US and its allies and a number of military-political groups in Afghanistan, including the ruling organization in 2001, the Taliban. It was the United States’ longest war. As with any war, soldiers on both sides and civilians experienced PTSD and other issues as a result of their wartime experiences. About 2,400 US military personnel and 2,900 contractors were killed, with tens of thousands wounded (Bateman, Kate. “In Afghanistan, Was a Loss Better Than Peace?” United States Institute of Peace, 3 Nov. 2022). Afghan civilian deaths are estimated at over 110,000, in addition to over 70,000 deaths of Afghan police and military personnel (“Instability in Afghanistan.” Center for Preventative Action, 1 July 2024).
The US invaded Afghanistan primarily as a response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America, the largest terrorist incident on American soil. These attacks were committed by the international Islamist group Al-Qaeda and supported by the Taliban, the fundamentalist government of Afghanistan. When the Taliban refused to expel or extradite the leaders of Al-Qaeda, the US invaded Afghanistan as part of the George W. Bush administration’s “War on Terror.” The US and its allies aimed to replace the Taliban with a more moderate government and to transition Afghanistan to democratic rule as a means to stabilize the area for the longer term. The Taliban government was overthrown in 2001, and the Afghan Interim Administration was formed, supported by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) established by the United Nations. The military support of the ISAF, along with significant financial and political support, enabled the new government to maintain control of much of Afghan territory and to make some improvements to the nation’s economy, healthcare, education, transport, and agriculture, as well as steps toward a democratic constitution.
At its peak in 2011, the US had 100,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan, with large numbers of additional civilian support, including medical personnel, as in Davina’s role as an American nurse in Afghanistan in Where Butterflies Wander. Gradually, military and police control was officially transitioned to the new Afghan National Security forces, and the US combat campaign ended in 2014. In practice, however, considerable international support was still required to prevent the Taliban from retaking control, and US costs, including casualties, continued to be high. The war became increasingly unpopular in the US, and subsequent presidents were under pressure to withdraw all troops. The US pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021, leading within days to the collapse of Afghan’s democratic government and the return of Taliban rule.
Psychological Context: Grief
Grief is defined as the “anguish of significant loss” that takes place when a person loses something or someone important to them (“Grief.” American Psychological Association). A person might grieve for another person, a pet, a job, a place, an object, or other things. Grief and healing from loss are complex processes that are different for each person who has this experience. Grief is known to have a variety of possible physical, emotional, cognitive, and social consequences for the person experiencing it, such as a lack of sleep, angry outbursts, memory issues, and damaged relationships. Where Butterflies Wander explores the varying experiences of grief experience by the characters, including as a result bereavement, estrangement, and the loss of a sense of identity or home.
The novel focuses especially on the feelings and responses of the Egide family after Bee’s death, drawing on acknowledged patterns of grief response and processing. The loss of a young child may cause an especially acute type of grief for parents, whether that child is an adult or a minor. Many bereaved parents experience lifelong grief and secondary consequences, such as mental and emotional ill health (“Grieving the Loss of a Child.” American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy). Parents’ relationships with one another can also suffer: Intense sadness and emotional exhaustion may lead to a degradation in communication and affection and, potentially, blame. Parents may experience guilt and feelings of personal responsibility for their child’s death, often exacerbated by social norms that place parents in a protective role and assume that children will outlive their parents. Many bereaved parents can experience feelings of meaninglessness or futility in life. These consequences can affect the wider family, including surviving children.
Healing from grief can come in a variety of forms, including personal and family counseling, group therapy, nature therapy, art therapy, and memory therapy (Weaver, Meaghann. “Coping With a Child’s Death.” American Academy of Pediatrics, 27 Nov. 2023). It is a long and arduous process in which the mind must readjust its framework of the world to accommodate the significant change caused by loss. Where Butterflies Wander presents a fictional exploration of the ways individuals and families might process their feelings of grief, especially through familial reconnection, nature, and embracing memories of the subject of the loss.
Unlock all 59 pages of this Study GuidePlus, gain access to 8,800+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
