Rain of Gold

Throughout the book, different animals carry different symbolic weight. Parrots, which show up in the form of a gifted feather on Page 46 and as newborns on Page 51, are equated with love. The fawn, or deer in general, is a symbol of both beauty and intelligence. For example, it’s deer that lead Espirito to the original rain of gold in the box canyon. Also, when Lupe sees a fawn hidden by a tree, the animal reminds her of her handsome and brilliant colonel, and she keeps his likeness as a pet and best friend for years. Later on, when Juan sees Lupe as a teenager, he constantly likens her to a deer. Lucky for Juan, who wishes to be compatible with Lupe, a neighbor one time thinks of him as a “young buck” (373). Coyotes, on the other hand, are a sign of danger. For example, when Juan is trying to get some horse’s meat, maybe even some human meat, he is scared away by a group of coyotes, which turns out to be a blessing in disguise since he finds that some of the men he thought were dead were actually still alive. Coyotes also howl when the meteorite hits the box canyon; when Lupe’s father returns and has sex with Doña Guadalupe, deeply disturbing Lupe; and when Salvador abruptly goes missing from Lupe’s world. Finally, roosters play a fairly symbolic role in the book, as they seem to represent pomposity. For example, when Lupe first sees an untamed version of Salvador, he reminds her of “a strutting rooster” (328). Later on, when the two men who attacked Juan at a poker game want to send him a message, they put a dead rooster in his car, signifying the death of his cocky ego. Harry, the clothes vendor, also refers to Juan as a “prize rooster” when he lends him clothes for his wedding, further associating roosters with pomp and showiness, trademarks often displayed by Juan, especially at his longed-for wedding (451).