“And I didn’t know if I was sleeping or awake but I saw the doves. I saw them like before. Everything was the same: the dovecote painted dark blue, the nests full of straw, the roof with the wires getting rusty because I couldn’t hang the clothes up, the trapdoor, the procession of doves marching through the apartment taking little steps from the back porch to the balcony…Everything was the same, but it was pretty” (173-174)

To fully delve into this book, one must recognize the symbolism of doves. Doves act as a major metaphor throughout the novel. Some of the meanings of this symbol include peace and love. The appearance and disappearance of such birds provide a clue as to where the narratives are going

If one is to delve deeper into these imageries, you would find references to pigeons. When saying Colometa, “pigeon girl” is expressed in English. The external proof to this comes from an article entitled”Life in Barcelona” by Micheal Eaude. Eaude presents the real world connection to the novel with Plaça del Diamant– a real life place and the original name of the book. The story is reflective of the Spanish Civil War, seemingly entangled with our real narratives. In Barcelona, there is a statue that so similar to Nataila’s story. Sitting in this square is “a low, black sculpture of a naked woman screaming­—in anguish or perhaps liberation. She is surrounded by pigeons” (Eaude).

We can view this statue as a testament to feelings of entrapment; both within the confides of the war and her marriage with Quimet. There is a sense of empowerment in this novel; “history is seen through the eyes of this working-class woman with her feet on the ground” (Eaude). Continuing on with our symbol of entrapment, Nataila begins the novel pulled away by her now ex-fiancé and into an abusive relationship with Quimet. She reminded me of The Shrouded Woman, who too lived her life full of pain. Nataila seems to be bound to the walls of her and Quimet’s home; she becomes a prisoner in her own home. When tasked with housework, Nataila cannot help but think that “Maria probably gets them done cleaner” (46), a woman that Quimet so often whispers. After their wedding and when it was time to consummate the marriage, Nataila cannot help but recall things she heard as a child that “[…] women die ripped open [and] it begins when they get married” (50). Even within these early moments, Nataila is trapped into this marriage and in turn cannot fly away.

The Doves in the book are embodiments are the world around them especially Nataila. When the doves are introduced they live in a dovecote on the roof. The first dove is injured and after Nataila nurses it Quimet proposes they keep it. The first dove lives in “a cage like a mansion […]” (65). It is within these subtle motifs that you can recognize the feelings of entrapment both with the dove and Nataila. Eventually when more doves arrive the dovecote gets bigger until Quimet insists that the doves should be able to visit their home. This is when the narratives start to blend together. The doves were first trapped in a sense and now are able to be apart of the family; you can release doves, but Nataila cannot be released. Her frustration with the doves is understandable as all she can sense is doves; it is overwhelming in a time of war. We can see the metaphor of doves as peace and love during this war being nothing but a burden to Nataila. They represent something that she could not get. When the doves all leave or die it is when the war is at its peak; Nataila and the kids are left alone hungry, wishing for a moment of peace or love.

The Time of Doves presents a tragedy that lies within hopelessness. It serves as an authentic telling of war from the perspective of the citizens. It is not afraid to have the characters feel and mourn. One more moment I want to draw attention to is this quote: “And one night when I was lying with Antoni on one side and Rita on the other, with their ribs sticking out and their bodies all lined with bright blue veins, I decided to kill them” (145). This moment is heartbreaking–Nataila had just found on Quimet was dead and her family was dying. In times of war, citizens suffer under the lack of supplies and bloodshed. Perhaps other readers viewed this as cruel but I viewed it as love. Nataila wanted to keep her children safe, but it was no longer an option; either she could let them suffer or ensure they could rest. It’s a truly devastating moment in a mother’s perspective; how can you protect your children during a war? This moment completely captures Nataila as a character–despite going through all this abuse with Quimet, she will always have love for her children. She wanted to fly away, be free of her cage.

This post is already very long so I will add one more thing. Antoni was everything the family needed. I’m not a fan of men swooping in and saving the day, but in this case, Antoni lived as a lonely shop-owner without any children and Nataila was a hard-working mother. He wasn’t a knight in shining armour, but rather just a human who wished to help her for his emptiness could become whole. Antoni is the best love for Nataila hands down.

As The Time of The Doves comes to an end, the quote I first started with brings the narrative to a conclusion. After everything that happened, she can see peace. The doves have come back as an omen, that everything will be okay. It is the fleetness of grief: Nataila can start to heal even if her world is still a bit blue. The Time of The Doves can fly away with melancholy.

Discussion Question:

Doves are a recurrent theme in this book. I have personally noted what I believe is what they are represented for, but what does everyone else think? What do you believe the doves are symbolic of? Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts 🙂

Works Cited

Eaude, Michael. “Life in Barcelona.” Metropolitan Barcelona, April 2013 https://www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/features/in-diamond-square-barcelona-books/