The Language of Flowers

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2011

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Themes

The Importance of Community

In The Language of Flowers, community manifests in both the people whom one surrounds oneself with and one’s chosen family. Victoria begins the novel without a community. Upon turning 18, she is aged out of the foster care system and placed in a group home, where she interacts with only her caseworker. She remains without a sense of community until she meets Renata. Renata provides Victoria with her first chance at community by accepting her as a worker. In doing so, she not only introduces Victoria to other flower sellers, but also allows her a chance to explore her craft. Victoria proves herself to clients who increasingly ask for her expertise, making her feel validated. Through Renata, she establishes herself among clients who spread word of her skill. This becomes integral when she starts her own business, ensuring her long-term success.

Victoria’s chosen family begins with Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the first person to fully welcome her into their home without abuse or conditions. She insists on her love for Victoria early on in their relationship and proves she is committed to Victoria’s wellbeing. The main conflict of the novel arises when Elizabeth’s definition of family differs from Victoria’s. Elizabeth believes that Catherine and Grant must be part of their lives for them to truly be a family, and she is so disappointed by their lack of cooperation that she betrays Victoria’s expectations. It is Elizabeth and Victoria’s lack of communication that compels the latter to lash out, severing their connection for eight years. In the absence of family, all of those connected to the farm suffer. Victoria is sent back to foster care, while Elizabeth spirals into depression. Catherine is convinced that she herself set the fire, and drinks while Grant struggles to keep things together. They are all radically damaged by their lack of community and isolation.

By the novel’s end, Victoria reconciles with those who love her, creating the chosen family that they all needed eight years ago. In this family, they move towards love and acceptance. Although Victoria continues to struggle with seeing her own worth, she acknowledges that Elizabeth and Grant will help her through the process; she also has employees and clients who wish to support her and will wait for her personal journey to conclude. Victoria’s transition from an ostracized loner into the woman at the center of a family would not have been possible without both emotional and practical communities—showcasing the importance of having access to people who understand and care.

Giving and Receiving Forgiveness

One of the central questions of The Language of Flowers is who deserves forgiveness. The novel is filled with instances of both intentional and accidental abuse, as well as people lashing out within these scenarios. The reader sees Grant as a teenager being forced to act as an adult, managing the family flower farm and taking care of his ailing mother. Elizabeth suffers from her own past traumas as an abused child and betrayed sister, struggling to overcome these feelings as she raises Victoria. Victoria’s trauma-driven anger and frustration culminate in the fire that tears her and Elizabeth apart. This fear of abandonment also leads her to hide during her pregnancy and deliver her child to Grant without interacting with him.

The characters’ different types of pain propel the novel’s conflicts. In an attempt to work through her pain, Elizabeth tries to reconcile with Catherine. Victoria’s presence inspires Elizabeth to overcome her betrayal, continually reaching out to her sister to mend their relationship. However, Catherine’s illness has altered her ability to reconcile, resulting in the continuation of their broken bond. Elizabeth’s forgiveness comes too late, and despite her sincerity, the sisters remain separated. It is this failure of clemency that causes Elizabeth to wrong Victoria, committing a betrayal that ultimately separates them as well.

Although Victoria has experienced years of childhood abuse, the novel focuses on her direct and indirect responses to this pain rather than the abuse itself. At the novel’s end, Victoria seeks forgiveness from the people whom she wronged once she reaches a place of introspection and reflection. Upon achieving financial security and moving her daughter into Grant’s care, she thinks “If I could apologize, then maybe, finally, I could forget. Maybe my dreams would cease and I could settle into a quiet, if lonely, life, knowing Elizabeth understood my remorse” (274). She later notes that she does not expect forgiveness, and in fact, believes Elizabeth will be furious in the face of the truth (i.e., her role in the farm fire). It is Victoria’s intent to confess with or without forgiveness (and from a place of genuine remorse) that shows her growth. When comparing Victoria’s redemption to Catherine’s story, it is evident that forgiveness is in the hands of the forgiver and not something that can be forced. Love, family, and community all contribute to an individual’s ability or desire to forgive.

Healing Comes in Many Forms

Victoria undergoes an unconventional journey to mental and physical wellness. She begins the novel carrying old traumas with her, hiding from her caseworker and living on the streets rather than fit into a prescribed role. As she explores the city, she connects with Renata and is given the opportunity to have personal security for the first time in her life. Access to money, shelter, and food enable Victoria to establish more secure relationships. She proves herself as a florist and receives attention for it, culminating in her own successful business venture. While it isn’t obvious at first, Victoria is traumatized by the birth of her daughter, which causes her to become reliant on old, unhealthy coping mechanisms. Rather than put a loved one at risk, Victoria recognizes her own reliance and takes her baby to the more equipped Grant—a significant sign of her growth. Victoria’s love for her baby ultimately empowers her to reach out to Elizabeth. By the novel’s end, she has gained enough insight to recognize her need to heal—but also sees her potential for love and participation in a family.

Elizabeth mirrors many of Victoria’s childhood traumas, though she has had more time to cope and overcome them. Elizabeth’s most recent hurt stems from her sister Catherine, who had an affair with her lover that resulted in Grant’s conception. She only heals from this when Victoria joins her on the farm, her newfound motherhood changing her perspective on Catherine’s behavior. Having entered parenthood, Elizabeth desires an extended family for Victoria. However, her healing is impeded by Catherine’s own illness, only being completed when Victoria, Grant, and Hazel find her.

Grant’s path to healing is entirely reliant on others. At the beginning of the novel, he is quiet and distant, only responding to Victoria’s presence. As he and Victoria become closer, he strives to overcome his past and make improvements to himself—such as learning how to cook and renovating his childhood home. Grant’s anger for his mother dissipates with Victoria, Elizabeth, and baby Hazel in his life. The three allow him to reflect on his mother’s positive traits and move forward with a new family.

Each of the characters experiences a unique journey to overcome their traumas, as healing takes many forms. Some healing occurs independently while others occur in the presence of others, but each is valid.