The Bird Hotel

The profusion of birds in the region—672 species, according to the book Irene finds—symbolize the lush diversity of life surrounding La Llorona, a contrast to the weeping, solitary woman embodied by the name of the property. The color and noise of the birds become part of the nourishing sensory background that helps Irene feel she is coming back to life when she arrives at the hotel. The birds mark the natural rhythms of the days and seasons that prevail in this rural area, a contrast to the human-built world of San Francisco, Irene’s prior home. The birds and their beauty provide the inspiration that moves Irene to rediscover her love of art and buy a pencil. When Leila gifts her the paints she once bought for her daughter, returning to her art proves a healing, meditative exercise that helps Irene reconstruct a sense of identity after her devastating loss.

Just as the conures sent her south from San Francisco, Irene entertains the thought of a connection with Jerome, who is brought to her through the birds and her paintings of them, again a symbol of the healing power of nature and art. As Irene notes, “Even when something very sad happens, even when someone dies, the birds don’t stop singing” (137); after the storm, she believes the birds sing more loudly, as if warding off a sense of despair.