Summer of the Mariposas Game

The Story

100

Where do the sisters find the body?

• The sisters find a dead man in a river.

200

What do the sisters discover in the dead man's pocket?

•  A wallet/identification that gives them information about him.

300

Why do the sisters decide to travel to Mexico?

• They want to return the man to his family in Mexico

400

What is their mission?

• To take the dead man’s body home to his family

500

How does the story blend Mexican folklore with the sisters reality?

• They are young, traveling without their parents, crossing into unfamiliar territory, and encountering supernatural/dangerous forces.

The Sisters

100

Who is the oldest sister?

Odilia

200

Which sister is the narrator?

Odilia

300

What is Odilia's role among her sisters?

• She is the oldest and often takes responsibility for protecting/guiding her younger sisters.

400

How do the sisters' different personalities affect the group?

• Their personalities sometimes create conflict, but their differences also help them work together.

500

What does Odilia's behavior reveal about her relationship with her sisters?

• She feels responsible for them and often acts like a protector, even when she is scared or uncertain herself.
• 
  

Charcters

100

Who is the dead man found in the river?

• A man whose body they discover in the river.

200

Who is Pita?

• Pita is one of Odilia’s younger sisters.

300

Who is Mama?

• Their mother is an important figure whose absence/relationship with the girls influences their decisions.
• 
  

400

How does the sister's relationship with their mother affect their choices?

• Their complicated family situation contributes to the sisters’ independence and their decision to take matters into their own hands.

500

Why is the identity of the dead man important to the story?

• His identity gives the sisters a purpose for their journey and connects their present situation to a family in Mexico.

Setting & Culture

100

In what U.S. state do the sisters live?

Texas

200

Where are the sisters originally from?

Texas

300

Where do they plan to travel?

Mexico

400

What role does Mexican culture play in the opening chapters?

• Mexican traditions, family, folklore, language, and beliefs are woven into the girls’ experiences.

500

How does the border between the U.S. and Mexico represent more than just a physical boundary?

• It represents movement between two cultures and worlds—physically crossing a border while also entering a world where folklore and reality begin to overlap.

Symbols & Magic

100

What unusual event happens after the sisters find the body?

• The sisters encounter supernatural signs/experiences connected to the dead man and their journey.

200

What do the mariposas/butterflies symbolize?

• Transformation, freedom, family, and the connection between the natural and supernatural worlds.

300

What supernatural elements appear in Chapters 1-4?

• Supernatural encounters and elements of Mexican folklore begin appearing alongside ordinary events.

400

How does the story blend Mexican folklore with the sister's reality?

• The novel treats folklore and supernatural experiences as part of the girls’ cultural world rather than completely separate from reality.

500

Why might the author introduce magical elements at the beginning of the journey?

• The magical elements foreshadow that the journey will be more than a simple trip to return a body—it will become a transformational experience for the sisters.