THE FIREFLY LETTERS: A SUFFRAGETTE'S JOURNEY TO CUBA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Engle, Margarita. 2010. THE FIREFLY LETTERS. New York, NY: Henry Holt & Company, LLC. ISBN 9780805090826
PLOT SUMMARY
THE FIREFLY LETTERS is a beautiful true story written in poetic verse about Fredrika Bremer (1801-1865), Sweden's first woman novelist and one of the world's earliest advocates of equal rights for women. In 1851, Fredrika visited Cuba for three months and met a young slave girl from Africa, Cecilia, who was her translator. Cecilia and Fredrika shared their pains and struggles with each other while catching cocuyos (fireflies) and setting them free in the lush countryside. The novel in verse also involves Elena, a fictious character, who is the young daughter of Cecilia's owner. Elena and Cecilia become great friends and in the end, Elena gives a heart-felt, unexpected gift to Cecilia.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this novel in verse, Engle uses simple, eloquent and easy to read words. The story, which is based on primarily true characters, is beautiful, yet chilling. Cecilia, a young African slave girl says, "was eight, plenty old enough to understand that my father was haggling with a wandering slave trader, agreeing to exchange me for a stolen cow." Throughuot the story, she longs for her mother's voice. The author's style is flowing and free, yet you can feel real emotion in her simple words. Fredrika, a wealthy Swedish traveler, comes to visit Elena's family in Cuba. She remembers that at home, she was not allowed to set foot outdoors or do the things that she dreamed of. She says "there is no place more lonely than a rich man's home." Elena is the daughter of Cecilia's owner and she has become fond of Cecilia and Fredrika and even jealous watching them get to run and play outside the little house in the garden "where the two can live in peace, surrounded by cocuyos-fireflies-instead of chandeliers." Elena thinks to herself, "how disturbing it feels to envy Cecilia, a slave. She is free, at least for now, to run and shout out in the open....splashing in mud puddles just like a man or a boy."
The imagery in this poetic novel is beautiful as well. Engle describes Cuba as having "lush gardens and winter sun." "This island, with its lush gardens and winter sun, had me fooled. I have always imagined that a gentle climate would make the people gentle too...but that is not the way of the human heart when it is lost in the selfishness of greed." Engle's words made me actually feel Fredrika's hopelessness and sadness when she thought about not being able to help Cecilia or the slaves and women of Cuba.
The symbolism that she used with the fireflies was extraordinary as well. When Cecilia and Fredrika move out to the hills with the people of the Canary Islands, Cecilia notices that, "out here, no one tries to catch the soaring insects. The cocuyos drift so high that they seem to live in heaven, like stars."
This story continues on with beautiful imagery, language and rhythm as the three women connect with each other. Even though they all come from different worlds, they all seem to have similar issues, where they feel trapped and have no freedom or liberties to pursue their dreams. Even Elena, who is a young affluent girl with seemingly everything feels "like she could go mad cooped up in this house like a songbird in a cage." Elena's touching gesture at the end of the story is a symbol of their love for each other and for mankind in general. After all, "without even trying to be a teacher, Fredrika is teaching us, showing us how to see things in new ways instead of always thinking the same old tired thoughts."
AWARDS
2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book for Narrative
2011 Bank Street - Best
Children's Book of the Year.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Like the firefly light, Engle’s poetry is a gossamer thread of subtle beauty
weaving together three memorable characters who together find hope and courage.
Another fine volume by a master of the novel in verse.”--KIRKUS REVIEWS,
Starred Review
“The imagistic, multiple first-person narrative works handily in revealing
Bremer, an alert and intelligent woman in rebellion against her background of
privilege.”--THE HORN BOOK
“Through this moving combination of historical viewpoints, Engle creates
dramatic tension among the characters, especially in the story of Elena, who
makes a surprising sacrifice.”--BOOKLIST
CONNECTIONS
Other novels in verse written by Engle based on Cuba's history are:
THE SURRENDER TREE: POEMS OF CUBA'S STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM. ISBN 0805086749
THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA. ISBN 9780307583055
These books can be used in studies from anything about the women's movement, slavery, those interested in Cuba to teens with Biography assignments.
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