Wedding photo - Mantis

The narrator's mother's wedding photo in "Mantis" is a symbolic acknowledgment of the family history of this metamorphosis. First the narrator's mother tells her she is just like her grandmother, who had the same skin condition she has, and whose relationship with the narrator's grandfather was short-lived, then the narrator sees her mother's wedding photo, where the groom appears as just a blur. The implication is that the women in this family become praying mantises and eat the men they encounter.

Praying mantis - Mantis

The narrator's metamorphosis into a praying mantis in "Mantis" is a symbol of puberty, and the idea that a mature woman in control of her sexuality is dangerous. The element of danger is evident at the end of the story when the narrator eats her suitor in the bathroom at the party. The puberty symbolism is accomplished through...