Butcher My Dreams: A Close Reading of Disturbing Imagery in 'The Blood of Flowers' Liam Mackay Byrd College

It is an undisputedly common occurrence throughout many literary and cultural mediums to employ certain elements of the decrepit and dreadful in order to convey a message or describe in detail a metaphor. This is often done so that the topic of discussion will remain singed within the reader or viewer not unlike the white-hot intensity of a ghost chili pepper. While The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani may not be the first book that comes to mind on the subject of shock value, there is one particular scene that utilizes grotesque imagery in order to display a sense of fear from the story’s unnamed protagonist: That night I dreamed that the butcher had led me into a small, dark room and broke all my bones with his thick hands. He put me on display on one of his bloody hooks, naked, and when someone wanted meat, he carved me while I was still alive. I screamed and screamed in horror… (324)

To provide some context, our main character, who is female, is in dire straits and encounters a local butcher to whom she is ready to sell her body in exchange for some meat. Upon her return home, the above passage describes a vicious nightmare had by our main character in regards to her experience. What caught my eye about this piece in...