Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses sexual abuse, incest, and family violence.

Mala is the central character and key protagonist of Cereus Blooms at Night, though the reader seldom, if ever, hears her story through her own voice. When Mala is introduced, she is depicted as a frail old woman, unable to speak and barely able to move. Tyler, her nurse at that Paradise Alms House, immediately feels empathy for her despite the scandalous stories about her history. He doesn’t understand how the figure strapped to the stretcher before him could really be a murderer.

As Tyler gains Mala’s trust and draws her outward into the external world, the reader sees that in her “wildness” and isolation, she has developed a strong connection to the natural world. Tyler observes, for example, that she can imitate bird calls and insect noises perfectly. Her gentle affinity for animal and plant life contradicts her characterization as uncontrollable and dangerous. Rather, she is shown to be gentle and careful, and she clearly wants to avoid harming living things. For instance, she refuses to eat meat or other animal products, as shown when she is brought her first meal at Paradise Alms House.