importance of Flowers

Flowers are symbolic of non-traditional reproduction and of Natsuko’s ability to conceive outside of heterosexual norms. As flowers are able to reproduce through pollination, which relies on a third party to enable the male-female production of offspring, they evoke the idea of Natsuko’s desire to have a family through artificial insemination. As with the appearance of doubles, flower imagery tends to create a positive atmosphere around Natsuko’s desires and foreshadows her eventual decision to have a child to raise on her own. One example of this is when Midoriko texts Natsuko a picture of flowers that remind her of matching floral print dresses that she, Makiko, Komi, and their mother bought. She recalls that they “must have smiled the whole way home” (150). This positive memory reinforces the happiness of the non-traditional family Natsuko grew up with, which implies that she is capable of building a similar family dynamic on her own.