46 pages • 1 hour read
Kami Garcia, Margaret StohlBeautiful Creatures
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2009A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Ravenwood Manor
Ravenwood Manor represents revisionist history and the crumbling façade of Southern traditions. In Gothic literature, architecture symbolizes the decay of a character’s morality. Ravenwood, a “run-down old house, on Gatlin’s oldest and most infamous plantation,” signifies the decay of Southern tradition (21). Ethan observes that the house “look[s] just like the stereotypical Southern plantation that people from up North would expect to see after all those years of watching movies like Gone with the Wind” (63).
The manor, though representing tradition, houses Macon, a town outsider. In being aligned with Macon, the house also represents progress, intellect, and the unknown. The citizens of Gatlin stay away from Ravenwood. The tension between the town and manor reveals a greater conflict that the South faces. The South can accept responsibility for the trauma of slavery and oppression or choose to live in denial.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Beautiful Creatures draws parallels between its characters and those in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Before meeting Lena, Ethan connects Macon Ravenwood to the Southern novel, noting that “Old Man Ravenwood made Boo Radley look like a social butterfly” (21). Upon meaning Lena and seeing how she is bullied, he recognizes the import behind Lee’s work and its critique of Prejudice and Social Exclusion. He recognizes for himself how “social conflict in a small-town setting” plays out when the cheerleaders harass Lena simply because she lives at Ravenwood Manor (55).
Even though the other students study the novel to examine social conflict in the South, they do not understand the depth of its themes. They demonstrate their narrowmindedness when telling Lena that Boo Radley is “just like Old Man Ravenwood. He’s probably tryin’ to lure those kids into his house so he can kill them” (57). Macon, like Boo, is misunderstood. He is not evil but a champion of the Light, much in the same way that Boo safeguards children.
Lena’s bigoted classmates illustrate how the town discriminates against anyone different from themselves. Garcia and Stohl suggest that a prejudiced mob has the power to destroy others with judgment, violence, and discrimination, just like in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Genevieve’s Locket
Genevieve’s locket signifies the power of Ethan and Lena’s love. It represents the hope that their love will succeed where Genevieve and Ethan Carter Wate’s love failed. Though Lena and Ethan learn that the locket is “some kind of Dark talisman,” it helps the young couple (210).
Lena and Ethan’s relationship mirrors the love story of Genevieve and Ethan Cater Wate. Therefore, they fear that their love is doomed to fail. Although Genevieve and Ethan Carter Wate do not get to be together, Genevieve’s locket shows Lena how to save Ethan after he dies. Due to familial support and the strength of their connection, Lena succeeds where Genevieve failed. Ethan comes back to life so that he can be with Lena and help her in her path toward Claiming herself.
