World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments

Ribbon eels are colorful, thin eels with gaping mouths. They are “content to stay in the same reef hole or coral heap for years” (124). Nezhukumatathil sees ribbon eels while scuba diving in the South China Sea while she is three months pregnant. She takes maternity leave after giving birth to her younger son, Jasper, who is “famous among my friends and neighbors for constantly opening his wee mouth in shock and surprise and wonder” (125). Jasper sleeps very little as a baby. Nezhukumatathil frequently carries him around the house at night, and Jasper gets excited seeing mundane household items. Finally, she reflects how quickly her children grow up. She doesn’t miss the lack of sleep but does miss the sense of wonder she shared with her son in his infancy.

This chapter is a list of questions and statements from Nezhukumatathil’s sons. Some are mundane, while others have broader existential or poetic meanings. Some questions are about the birds they are looking at, but “Is there a bathroom nearby” (128) also comes up several times. Some questions have more serious implications, such as “Will I be brown or white when I grow up?” (129) and “Will you be missing when I’m forty?” (131).