Miko Kings

One of the recurring symbols in Miko Kings is the spider. In the book, the spider is typically described as female and is specifically symbolic of the different characters’ female lovers. The first time it is mentioned is in the nursing home where Hope lives in 1969. He opens his eyes and sees “[a] spider [walk] across the flat surface of the wall. They’re roommates and he’s comforted by her presence” (49). When Hope looks at the spider, it typically precedes or follows a memory of Justina.

Another time the spider is mentioned in Hope’s nursing home is after his conversation with Kerwin. As he drifts back to sleep, he starts remembering Justina again. He glances over and sees the spider “quietly spinning her silk threads into a baseball diamond in the corner of the dugout. By candlelight he can see her mourning the death of her lover” (67). This particular image of the spider also pays homage to Justina’s sewing skills. In the last chapter, Ezol wears a scarf that she “and Justina took turns embroidering. [Ezol] wore it to the very first game of the Twin Territories Series” (219). For Hope, the spider takes on all of these traits of Justina, from her gentleness with him to her hobbies.