Thread by @ccmarce_writes

Here's me being a nerd, but my whole life is now Encanto, which means i sit around analyzing themes and motifs, etc.

something i've seen numerous people talking about is the importance of the butterfly in the movie. (spoilers)
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Mirabel wears butterflies on her clothing, as does Abuela (on her keychain).

Worldwide, butterflies are often seen as a symbol of transformation, rebirth, but also hope & freedom.

But at its core, Encanto is a love story dedicated to Colombia, and the yellow butterfly
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was very specifically chosen.

The tie between Colombia and the image of yellow butterflies was immortalized in the work of acclaimed Colombian writer, Gabriel García Marquez.

They were a large presence in his piece Cien años de soledad (One-hundred Years of Solitude).
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Marquez incorporated yellow butterflies into the novel, which is a multi-generational tale about one family founding a town and incorporates elements of magic realism (very similar to Encanto).

Although he used the color yellow to represent death, he contrasted it with
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the yellow butterfly, an image of hope and love.

Abuelo Pedro’s death could have been the end of the family, but a miracle kept the Madrigal family alive and helped them to rebuild. The miracle candle has a yellow butterfly on its side in part because of this. And
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both Abuela and Maribel wear the butterfly because they both have transformed the family and nurtured the miracle through their love and support.

Abuela was the first agent of change for the family when she brought the miracle into the world to help them survive after
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Pedro dies.

But then Mirabel marks the next wave of change for the family, which is why she inherits the butterfly from her Abuela. Casita allows Mirabel to grab the candle, and she's also the one to open the door to the rebuilt Casita at the end because
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Abuela is passing the torch on to her for the next generation.

But more broadly, the butterfly also represents hope for the country itself to heal and thrive, despite decades of conflict and war. Mirabel represents a new, young generation who will
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hopefully transform, rebuild and move on from the trauma of the past by learning from their history and using it to create change.

Mirabel and her Abuela are ultimately brought together by the butterfly and also by their hope/love for the family and country.
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I guess I'll save this as the start to a thesis paper if I ever go back to grad school. Or something. 😂