Monday, June 30, 2014

What are some themes in "The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket"?

In "The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket," the narrator watches a group of children collecting insects, which culminates in a scene where a boy finds a grasshopper. He seems to think this is quite a prize, and he offers it aloud to the group several times. Ignoring the claims of several other children, he turns his attention to a young girl who comes to claim it. However, when she sees it, she finds that it is something much more rare than a common grasshopper: the boy has found a bell cricket. As this point, the narrator notes that the lanterns which the boy and girl are carrying "write" the names of each onto the other's chest and waist. Through reflection on this scene, the theme is clear: pure love is transformative.
The narrator wishes several things for the future of these children. He wishes that, when love seems to offer "grasshoppers"—or something common and ordinary—they never forget to cherish the "bell crickets" that they find instead. And conversely, when they think they have found an elusive "bell cricket" but instead are met with a much more common "grasshopper," love helps them laugh.
The narrator notes that there are not many "bell crickets" in the world, but he hopes that when the children find love they see "bell crickets," even if in actuality they have found common "grasshoppers." Pure love helps transform the most ordinary people, events, and experiences into something extraordinary and valuable.

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