Better fly, Butterfly! (1) Symbolism & The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The first few weeks of a new year is always a great time to reflect on the year that has been and to make resolutions.
Every new year is a chance for us to better ourselves. I think no other creature in the animal world can demonstrate the process of transformation more beautifully than the butterfly. So this week as we prepare to transform ourselves, I bring you “Better fly, Butterfly!” May we all be inspired by the lifecycle of the butterfly. Let us welcome this new year/chapter in our lives with open arms.
Today I feature the butterfly animal symbolism and also Eric Carle’s classic illustrated children’s book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”.
Butterfly Animal Symbolism
Info from Whats your Sign
Overwhelmingly, cultural myth and lore honor the butterfly as a symbol of transformation because of its impressive process of metamorphosis.
From egg, to larvae (caterpillar), to pupa (the chrysalis or cocoon) and from the cocoon the butterfly emerges in her unfurling glory.
What a massive amount of transition this tiny creature undergoes. Consider for a moment the kind of energy this expends. I daresay if a human were to go through this kind of change we’d freak out!
Imagine the whole of your life changing to such an extreme you are unrecognizable at the end of the transformation. Mind you, this change takes place in a short span of about a month too (that’s how long the butterfly life cycle is).
Herein lies the deepest symbolic lesson of the butterfly. She asks us to accept the changes in our lives as casually as she does. The butterfly unquestioningly embraces the changes of her environment and her body.
This unwavering acceptance of her metamorphosis is also symbolic of faith. Here the butterfly beckons us to keep our faith as we undergo transitions in our lives. She understands that our toiling, fretting and anger are useless against the turning tides of nature – she asks us to recognize the same.
Eric Carle’s classic and much loved picture book:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
The classic edition of the bestselling story written for the very young. A newly hatched caterpillar eats his way through all kinds of food, getting bigger and bigger, until eventually he turns into a beautiful caterpillar. One of the most popular picture books of all time, no nursery bookshelf is complete without a copy.
Eric Carle is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator of books for very young children. Eric lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Barbara. The Carles opened The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Massachusetts in 2002. Book Info from AMAZON
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Iconic illustrations by Eric Carle
“Well, I must endure the presence
of a few caterpillars
if I wish to become acquainted
with the butterflies.”
DAILY DOSE OF ART 
Recent Comments