I didn't get it.

It is rather crudely hidden misanthropy; basically the caterpillar stands for mankind's relentless greed and extreme consumption of natural resources. It is not for the faint hearted.

The whole book was a brilliant satire of cyrenaic hedonism.

>>9930233
>satire
b-but the vhc becomes a b, g.

>>9930250
>indulge in worldly pleasures
>become ultimate symbol of vanity

Literally the swansong of the modern era

>>9930164
Its a metaphor for Christ, struggle to find fulfillment, death, rebirth

>>9930301
Blasphememe :D

>>9930288
B-but isn't that Hera's bird, the peacock? Butterflies are far too common to stand as a figure for Vanity, anon. Especially this time of year! Plus, I like them, and won't stand for it!
>i once saw a tiger swallowtail on a catalpa tree life with alar projections larger than my index fingers and wings the size of small frisbees.

>>9930431
*catalpa tree leaf, rather

>>9930431
you're overthinking it. How is a caterpillar going to metamorphose into a peacock, Turkey?

File: carle.jpg (541KB, 2203x1814px) Image search: [Google]

541KB, 2203x1814px

That's because you fucking started with it you numbnut.

>>9930164
>he didn't start with Goodnight Moon

>>9931429
this is hilarious, anon.

I thought the novel was an obvious critique of the vain desire to become more beautiful, which often leads to the same mindless consumption that the caterpillar exhibits.

>>9931429
God damnit you got me guy

>>9931408
The peacock was not introduced as a candidate for lepidopteran metamorphosis, but as an instance of a classical symbol for vanity.
Nowhere in [our] literature does the butterfly or any insect appear as being vain except of course the grasshopper.