The Story Of You From My Eternal Memories: Deeper Analysis of VnC Birth Flowers (Vanitas & Noe Part 1B)
Welcome to Part 1B of the VnC Birth Flowers Analysis Series. I will cover Noe’s assigned birth flowers in this section, and have added a revised comprehensive background on each flower’s origins. Mostly specifying the specific variety (or species) of flower if it uses a general name that represents similar groups of flowers overall. In the nuances of multiple types of blooms and their meanings this will give a better illustration of the potential significance of each character in VnC.
NOE ARCHIVISTE’S BIRTHDAY — SEPTEMBER 28 (1870 FOR TRIVIA)
Noe has 3 birth flowers: ‘Fujibakama’, Aster and ‘Helenium’ (variety of sneezeweed). The Aster is most notable of the 3 as it speaks directly to the VnC storyline. Like Vani’s, check the bolded definitions to refer in the descriptions below.
Aster/Aster tataricus (紫苑/シオン) — Main
Japanese meaning: Recollection, ‘I will never forget you’, ‘I think of people in the distance’
Western meaning: patience, daintiness, symbol of love
BACKGROUND INFO ON GENUS ASTER + ASTER TATARICUS
If you browse the hanakotoba site or use a Western source to find your own birth flower, make sure the definition refers to specific variety of Aster or if the definition is refering to the general group of the Asters genus. (A classification that determines the plants membership in botany and other living organisms.) I realized that the hanakotoba site uses multiple Aster species and they don’t always share the same meanings. Sometimes if it translates to English or French, it will still be called ‘Aster’, where as in Japan and China, they translate accurately to their distinctive names. For example, the Shion (Aster tataricus) versus the China Aster (Callistephus chinensis). These two are in the same family (Asteraceae), but not the same genus (Aster).
On Noe’s birthday, the hanakotoba sites uses the name Shion (紫苑/シオン), which is the Aster tataricus species, also called ‘Tatarian aster’ or ‘Tatarinow’s aster’ in English. It’s also pronounced as ‘Xion’ or ‘Zion’ too.
I’m not sure why this flower is so important but it seems to be popular enough to be used as a name for Japanese girls and ficitional characters. An example of such is Kingdom Hearts’ character Xion, who’s name can be interpreted as such. These kind of characters carry the theme of memories or a staying as a source of remembrance instead. (However, there are multiple ways to write ‘Shion’ in Japanese, so if you encounter someone with this name in real life, be careful of assuming that their name means aster as it can have a different meaning.)
In botany, Asters of all species look more or less similar with each other, and its name orginates from the Greek word meaning ‘star’, as a homage to the shape and bright colors of the flower head. This genus of flowers are quite resilient and can grow in hardiness zones. Some gardeners have also cultivated new varieties to withstand their climate, and the can come in multiple colours, layers of petals and so on.
Noe’s aster doesn’t have glamourous layers of petals (like the New York Aster I’ve used in header or thumbnails), but it still honours its name, smiling brilliantly to onlookers who walk by. The shion also grows with pale or muted purple petals as far as pictures show. It matches Noe’s colour theme too! In traditional Chinese medicine, it’s noted for it’s antibacterial properties and in Korea is used as an edible leaf vegetable. Images seem to indicate that it needs to be cooked before consumption, but I am unsure which part of the plant is used in both cases. (As always for discretion, my articles are analysing flowers for character analysis and should not be used as a reference to safe consumption of plants! Please research for your safety.)
ANALYZING ASTER SYMBOLISM FOR NOE
If we stick to the Japanese definition and think through a Japanese reader’s perspective, I can’t think of another flower with a memory/remembrance theme that has been worded so specifically like the Aster. It’s so perfectly compatible for Noe due to his personal nostalgic tendencies and status as an Archiviste, a vampire clan that deals with memories of their own (or lack thereof before Noe got adopted by humans) and the memories of others in more ways than one. The act of storing, recording and even experiencing the memories of others are all there representing ‘recollection’ when they drink blood from others. While not a native Japanese speaker myself, this is why I suspect a Japanese reader be fangirl-ing at the ‘coincidence’ of Noe’s birth flower. The aster/shion is just that significant in media.
It is also the most tragic. As far as the story leads us to believe, the meanings of this flower and the other 2 assigned to Noe, it’s going to get worst.
Sticking with the Aster’s representation of Noe, the ‘I think of people in the distance’ is the ‘why’ behind all his decisions in the story now. Noe uses his past emotions to fuel his drive in the present, such as his regret towards Louis and losing the potential to save him. In an optimistic perspective, this meaning can also be interpreted from his ‘what if’s’ convo with Vanitas when they come back from Gevaudan about how Vani could have ended up like Alfosto.
Noe thinks that he could have met Vanitas as a Chasseur, but he makes a point to say that he’s glad he met Vanitas as a Vampire doctor instead. He not only thinks the distance as the past or proximity, but the potential of someone who could become something that he hasn’t met yet, the good and bad.
As Noe likes to play the narrator, we read whatever he’s thinking. We know he will always have the people he cares about in his thoughts, no matter how far they are and when he’s met them or the potential they can become. Patience is also shown on Noe’s behalf toward Vani here, as he thought about how to carefully word this to him after some time together. (More about patience can be referred in Part 1A as one of Vani’s flowers also has this as a meaning too.)
Ok, now to the utter tragic part. ʘ‿ʘ
‘I will never forget you’
Noe is an Archiviste. They see memories whether they like it or not. If we like to take it a step further, it’s likely they won’t ever forget it, whether they like it or not. When this clan drinks blood for the first time, the other party’s memories comes ‘rushing in’ and they can’t stop it. This brings up the issue that Noe has a problem drinking blood because he ends up looking into another person or vampire’s memories without permission, but he can’t control it if it’s his first time drinking from them. Hence he relies on the de Sade twins for blood. Louis and Domi have pointed out that since Noe has tried their blood before he ‘wouldn’t have to see anything anymore’. I am not sure if this means that Noe can investigate memories of other person’s blood that he’s tried already if he gets ‘permission’ or if his ability only works once at the first bite.
This also brings up how Noe doesn’t know much about his origins or clan. Teacher had to inform him of his ability that is unique to his clan, but I suspect he didn’t tell Noe everything about the Archivistes. Noe doesn’t seem to be pre-occupied by thoughts of ‘identity’ crisis but more on his own mission and relationships. There is a chance he will have to face the conflict that arises from his association to the Archiviste clan, which can turn into a tragedy as we and Noe don’t know what else he is capable of. Teacher’s intentions are also ambiguous as we know he will omit or deliberately transfer information when he wants to. (Like erasing Ruthven’s name from all the books in his house…)
Secondly, his clan was wiped out ‘long ago’ as Nox told Manet. @Yoelikalib, a Tumblr user who kindly pointed out in a discussion we had, mentioned about Noe never introducing himself properly to others, less introducing himself as an Archiviste. This brings up the question on how long ago were the Archivistes were wiped out that they are talked about like an old legend that no one has seen in ages, and why was baby Noe alone when the human couple found him in the snow?
Since Noe seems to be the ‘last’ of of his kind and with the lack of thought towards his Archiviste identity, it seems that he bears a generational responsibility to carry his clan’s legacy: to remember who the Archviste clan’s legacy when he has not a clue of his origins. This could be a larger encounter that hasn’t been brought up yet in the the story.
Also, everyone else doesn’t pay him much mind until they hear or decipher that he is an Archiviste. Where as when he was introduced with his clan name, it becomes his only defining trait. Ruthven’s curse/oath on him is because he is not sure why The Teacher was keeping an Archiviste around him, Vanitas rejects his blood drinking request because of his Archiviste ability, Jean-Jaqcues traps Noe before fighting Jeanne and makes him taste a drop of his blood because he wanted someone to remember Chloe and himself.
But the good thing is that Noe knows who he is as ‘himself’. He uses his relationships, likes, dislikes, belief and curiosity rather than his status/clan to define who he is. How does this relate to the ‘I will never forget you’? I believe it’s learning to not let the feelings of the memories and desires of others over power his own person. Kind of like ‘I remember you as I the person that I saw you as myself.’ This could lead to bias, but as an observer, Noe doesn’t leave out too many details for the reader.
Lastly, Vanitas’s ‘Forget-Me-Not’ and Noe’s ‘ I’ll never forget you’ aster is probably the most obvious of tragic interpretations I’ll expand on their relationship in VnC, but this will be in a post labelled ‘Part 2′ with the same title to consider the length of this one.
Fujibakama/Eupatorium Fortunei (フジバカマ/佩蘭)— Secondary
Japanese meaning: hesitation, delay
Western meaning: n/a
This flower originates in Japan and China, but doesn’t have much presence in elsewhere, hence the lack of Western meaning. It is rare in the wild, but largely cultivated for its fragrance and traditional medical properties. If the flowers and herb foliage are crushed, they evoke a scent similar to lavender.
Unlike lavender, this is a plant that remains in the soil rather than put in an arrangement. As far as I’ve seen in pictures, if these are purposely cultivated they will be provided their own space. The flower meaning of ‘hesitation’ is given because of its tendency to bloom each bud slowly before showing its full beauty. This resonates well with Noe’s naivety and sheltered life that has been untouched from the outside world. His tendency to take things slowly, prefers taking the civil way of talking it out even if it takes a while and growing into his role of a student in the VnC storyline matches well with this meaning too.
Because of Noe’s purity and restrained conditions growing up, this flower can allude to how other characters view him by contrasting the purpose for why the fujibakama is cultivated for: leisure, visual/sensual pleasure and medical purposes.
- Leisure is something applicable to Noe’s relationship with The Teacher. He straight up told Noe ‘now that you are here mon chaton, things are starting to look a lot more fun’. A little sinister, but not in a malicious sort of way at least where the VnC storyline has us. (But also note that Teacher was hanging out at the Black Market where he found Noe is super suspicious.)
- Visual/sensual pleasure can allude to how a gardener cares for the plants in their garden. This is most applicable to Dominique’s treatment of Noe. The fujibakama is unbothered and thrives well, much like how Noe enjoyed his childhood with the de Sade twins, and played dress up to Domi’s every request or learn how to dance with her. The quote Domi tells Jeanne during Memoire 12 during the ‘Dance of Romance’ is very applicable to her character’s tendency to enjoy sensational pleasures such as aesthetic beauty. But her restrictive behaviour on protecting Noe causes Vanitas to call her out during their confrontation during the Bal Masque about understanding why Noe is so naïve and ‘innocent’. So far, Domi’s hold on Noe hasn’t changed too much, but she is not as restrictive as the story makes her out to be as she doesn’t control Noe’s time with Vanitas. (Could just be it’s what her grandfather wants.)
- The medical analogy can be applied to Vanitas’s case: Noe becomes a source of emotional healing and discourse (weakness) for him. He can’t stand Noe’s naivety because he can also be put at a disadvantage if he becomes too close, but can also hurt Noe with his own ‘being’. Medicine has the potential to heal, but if given the wrong dosage, it can be toxic instead. Vanitas, being a ‘doctor’ himself, is conflicted about his relationship with Noe, as he is unsure if Noe’s sincerity (the medicine) is worth the risk of healing his own traumas without knowing what potential consquences (the side effects) that will come with it. Will they both or someone else get hurt is what he delibrately avoids through putting others at a distance (self-damaging behaviour).
All of this it causes delay in Noe’s personal development, and perhaps the more difficult decisions he encounters in VnC. Noe’s naivety doesn’t make him incompetent, but he can become stubborn in maintaining his role as an observer and become headstrong in his personal values. Whatever talent he has, he lacks the independent experience to excel in it. (And typically doesn’t have basic life skills which Vani yells at him for lol.) The best example of delay was his utter lack of judgement when Ruthven reserved an entire cafe just to have a ‘casual’ chat with him. This shows that while Noe has empathetic and social skills, he cannot interpret danger or malice when it creeps up on him until it is too late.
Basically this flower just sounds like it’s calling out how sheltered Noe is, and the potential danger or collapse he can face because of it. Everyone adores him regardless, but intent behind it may not always be for the right ones. Which ever seems right, I will leave it up to your interpretation.
Helenium/Common Sneezeweed (ヘレニウム/堆心菊属)— Secondary
Japanese meaning: tears, good mood
Western meaning: tears
BACKGROUND
Sneezeweed is a flower that is native to the Americas (USA and Canada mostly), and have plenty of species in the genus. The name sneezeweed is mostly referring to the variety called Helenium autumnale, hence in America its usually called Common Sneezeweed. I haven’t seen different types of sneezeweed identified in the hanakotoba site or my other sources so far, so the meanings here are consistent (as for now). On the hanakotoba site, they call this flower by its scientific genus name, which is Helenium (ヘレニウム).
This flower is part of the sunflower family. Similar to their popular cousins, they also love a space of full sunlight. They are drought resistant but still need moist soil and good drainage to stay happy. They bloom in late summer and fall, and look good in autumn bouquet arrangements or gardens as they are mostly in warm colors like orange and yellow. Sometimes in a golden brown and muted red too.
It is called ‘sneezeweed’ because the dried leaves are used to make ‘snuff’. The origin of this detail is unclear, but when the ‘snuff’ is inhaled, the person sneezes heavily and is believed to cast out evil spirits inside. (Please do not try this at home.) The ‘snuff’ can also refer to a herbal tobacco product that is used as a subsitute for people who want to quit smoking, however the specifics of symptoms and composition go far beyond what this article is about. As for why the flower means ‘tears’, it could be a symptom of the excessive sneezing but there is no confirmation of that anywhere online. There is also a greek mythology story associated with it as it’s scientific name alludes to Helen of Troy, but I’m unable to translate its relevance.
ANALYSIS OF SNEEZEWEED’S MEANING
Anyone reading Mochijun’s work should be prepared to cry no matter what.
Along with the aster, this flower sounds like solid proof of the tragedy that Noe has to bear on his part, especially of the the stuff he tells us in Memoire 1 and 11 (Bell tower chapter)
‘This is the story of all we gained, and all we lost, and how the end of that journey, I will kill him (Vanitas) with my own two hands” — Memoire 1 narration, ending scene in cathedral
“Memories of the beginning evoke memories of the end, memories of what slipped from my grasp, the people I couldn’t protect, the day I couldn’t grab your hand… these are my regrets.” — Memoire 11 narration, ending scene at the bell tower
In a previous post I made (warning- it’s really long):
https://sorenlen.tumblr.com/post/661066164348272640/with-your-very-detailed-post-on-how-vanitas-and
I mentioned theories about Noe’s lesson on love and salvation. Vanitas’ potential reciprocation of love and salvation is likely to come at a climatic point of the story that may shock the reader and Noe, such as a time where Noe will kill him. Vanitas’ who has only experienced love as something cruel and painful, finds it impossible to have someone fall for him. His love and act of salvation that he grants to Noe is likely to hurt him based on what he interprets love to be through his experiences.
As someone who experiences both of these concepts as tender affection and relief, the pain Noe experiences will likely cause his and the readers’ tears as this flower represents. There has not be a source where I can find if the meaning of ‘tears’ is associated with joyous reunions or tragic events.
Safe to say though, I think it’s likely to be tragedy.
CONCLUSION + PART 2 TBA
If you got this far, thank you for reading! In this revised version of Part 1B, covered the general meanings and provided a personal interpretation of Noe’s assigned birth flowers and which ones seemed to be more applicable out of the ones available for them.
The section that leans towards analyzing Vanitas & Noe’s relationship and the reciprocation of Vani’s ‘Forget-Me-Not’ and Noe’s Aster will be covered in Part 2! I hope everyone can appreciate the VnC story, and delicate speech of flower meanings of conveying feelings that would otherwise be too complicated or direct when communicating with others, than believe that flowers are used only for romantic declarations.
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