Question

mariposa by edna st. vincent millay
butterflies are white and blue
in this field we wander through
suffer me to take your hand.
death comes in a day or two.
all the things we ever knew
will be ashes in that hour.
mark the transient butterfly.
how he hangs upon the flower.
suffer me to take your hand.
suffer me to cherish you
till the dawn is in the sky.
whether i be false or true.
death comes in a day or two.

writing prompt 1 (informative): what does the butterfly seem to symbolize in the poem \mariposa\ by edna st. vincent millay? use evidence from the text to support your thinking.
writing prompt 2 (informative): do edna st. vincent millay and guadalupe garcia mccall use the symbol of the mariposa in similar or different ways? use evidence from both texts to support your answer.
write here:

Explanation:

For Writing Prompt 1:

The poem frames the butterfly as a symbol of fragile, fleeting life and time. Lines like "Mark the transient butterfly" directly label it short-lived, paired with references to imminent death ("Death comes in a day or two") and all things turning to "ashes," linking the butterfly's brief existence to the swift, unavoidable end of the speaker's own cherished moments.

For Writing Prompt 2:

Note: Since Guadalupe Garcia McCall's text is not provided, a full comparison cannot be completed. However, based on Millay's poem, her mariposa/butterfly symbolizes transient, fragile mortal life and the urgency of cherished time. To complete this, you would contrast or align this with McCall's use: if McCall's mariposa represents resilience, cultural identity, or hope, the uses are different; if it also symbolizes fleetingness, they are similar, with evidence pulled from both texts to support the comparison.

Answer:

Writing Prompt 1 Answer:

In Mariposa, the butterfly symbolizes fragile, fleeting life and the transience of time. Evidence includes the line "Mark the transient butterfly," which explicitly calls it short-lived, and its pairing with imagery of imminent death ("Death comes in a day or two") and all things turning to "ashes," tying the butterfly's brief existence to the swift end of the speaker's precious, temporary moments with their loved one.

Writing Prompt 2 Answer:

A full comparison requires Guadalupe Garcia McCall's text, but based on Millay's poem: Millay uses the mariposa/butterfly to symbolize the fragility and transience of mortal life and cherished time. To complete this, analyze McCall's text: if her mariposa represents a contrasting idea like cultural resilience or enduring hope, the uses are different; if it also symbolizes fleetingness or temporary joy, the uses are similar. Support the comparison with direct quotes from both works.