...Symbolism in Literature In literature, symbolism is used to provide meaning to the writing beyond what is actually being described. The plot and action that take place in a story can be thought of as one level, while the symbolism of certain things in the writing acts on another level to enhance the story. It is a product of the culture of the day and reveals the culture in return. Symbolism can take place by having the theme of a story represented on a physical level. A simple example might be the occurrence of a storm at a critical point, when there are conflicts or high emotions. The storm might symbolize these. Similarly a transition from day to night, or spring to winter, could symbolize a move from goodness to evil, or hope to despair. A river in a scene could represent the flow of life, from birth to death. Flowers can symbolize youth or beauty. Take The Loons as an example, it is just a typical novel with symbolism from beginning till the end, with “the loons” throughout as a symbol of Piquette. Through the parallel of loons and Piquette, it is easy to find their common inability to change themselves and their environment——loons are unable to adapt to modern human invasion; Piquette is unable to escape the cultural stereotypes imposed on her. The novel reflects the ecological and ethical crises between man and nature and among humans for conquest and criticizes the power ideology embodied in the crises. Vanessa casually describes Piquette’s tuberculosis...
Words: 3198 - Pages: 13
...Reading some stories can be confusing and hard at times since people can’t always put themselves in a character's perspective. It is even more difficult to comprehend without an aid of some sort but the short story The Veldt is different. The automated home the Hadley family live in does all of their everyday chores for them. In The Veldt, Ray Bradbury utilizes descriptive language and symbolism to express the experiences of living in the Happylife home. The language used creates vivid, lifelike images in the reader's mind that immerses them into an unrealistic world. Some other readers who analyze this story feel imagery is applied to the story and plays along with descriptive language. Symbolism is a heavy topic in this tale. Important parts stick out through symbols, which help the reader to relate to what is happening. Significant, impactful descriptive language and symbolism are placed in The Veldt. Descriptive language modifies how The Veldt can be perceived. When the short tale mentions how the main room, the nursery, shifts, “... presently an African veldt appeared, in three dimensions… the ceiling above them became a deeper sky with a hot yellow sun.” The veldtland description is so deep, that it plants whoever...
Words: 663 - Pages: 3
...Symbolism of the Journey Michelle Van Dyke ENG 125 Introductions to Literature Professor Alicia Giffin April 25, 2012 In reading there is always a story to be found within the words written, whether it is in the form of a poem or a short story. “Reading creates imaginary experiences. It connects you to new experiences that become meaningful when you allow them to influence your thoughts and feelings’ (Clugston, 2010, Ch. 1). The writers are able to capture our imagination with the use of characterization, setting, theme and tone throughout their literary works. It is by imagination that we are able to mentally visualize what the author would like us to drawing us into the piece and then allowing us to grasp it by use of symbolism or a descriptive word. How many times have you had a path to choose in life? Have you ever taken a journey? We have all found ourselves on a journey of some kind or another alone, but what is more important is how we choose to end it! In my essay I will compare and contrast the literary works “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1916) and “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty (1941). At the conclusion of this essay I believe you will see we all have journeys in life although similar not always the same. In the poem “The Road Not Taken” (Frost, 1916) or the short story “A Worn Path” (Welty, 1941) the theme is analogous. While one speaks of a “Path” the other a “Road” the theme that each of these writings share is presented differently throughout...
Words: 2712 - Pages: 11
...“The Awakening” Symbolism, Irony In Kate Chopin's short story “The Awakening”, the voice of the story portrays a woman with sexual aspirations, and moral female social rules in search for independence and self discovery. The story is based on the 19th century woman. During this time women barely had any freedom, were not recognized within the society and had no choice but to me submissive to their husbands. The main character of the story named Edna is portrayed to be a happy woman because she has everything; a wealthy, attentive husband, and two children. Thoughtout the story the truth about Edna’s unhappiness is revealed. The voice of the story uses symbolism, irony, and figurative language to express Edna Pontellier’s feelings as she found her way to her happiness and freedom. Throughout the text, Chopin encourages readers to think but using situational irony. “Irony- the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.” (Merriam-Webster). While reading, readers are made to think the opposite of what actually happened at the end of the story. In the beginning of the story, Edna’s husband Leonce tells his wife to send his friend Robert away when he starts to bore her. Unknown to Leonce that he was actually the one who was boring Edna. “"Well, send him about his business when he bores you, Edna," instructed her husband as he prepared to leave.” (Chopin 1). Another example of irony is when...
Words: 713 - Pages: 3
...Symbolism in the Lord of the Flies In everyday life, different objects, places, and people symbolize various meanings. In the major motion picture and best selling novel, The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins, the main character, Katniss Everdeen wears a mockingjay pin as a representation of bravery and courage. The mockingjay is an example of a symbol, which according to Random House Webster’s college dictionary is “something used for or regarded as something else.” William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, tells a story about a group of stranded boys on an island and the use of many symbolic items that affect their stay and character. Golding’s use and representation of the conch shell, Piggy’s glasses, and the Beast/Lord of Flies...
Words: 1045 - Pages: 5
...yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claimBecause it was grassy and wanted wear,Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I marked the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to wayI doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference. - Robert Frost Symbolism and Theme in Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” High school graduation motivational speeches and even inspirational quotes often contain words from Robert Frost`s famous poem, "The Road Not Taken". "It is a beautiful poetic statement of bold independence and personal innovation". Whichever choice is taken in life, one will always wonder what possibilities the other choice may have held. Frost's setting and scene are imbued with symbolic meaning. The first stanza opens up with the line "The roads diverged in a yellow wood" (Frost 1). The use of the word "yellow" could demonstate either spring or fall- a calm time of the year. Lives are like roads, with split paths representing the different choices one must make...
Words: 709 - Pages: 3
...Symbols or the act of symbolism is when select things are used to represent another. For example, a fire could represent a passion or love. Green in the novel The Great Gatsby symbolizes the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. It represents Gatsby's deep love to Daisy and his American Dream. Another example of symbolism is spirit in Copper Sun. Spirit seems to be used as a description of the underlying essence of someone, something that gives an individual his or her purpose. Spirit is that everlasting quality of a person that can still be present even after the individual is dead. It can also be broken when a person is still alive. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses symbols to display how something can be quickly overlooked as...
Words: 1100 - Pages: 5
...Alex Klapetzky Mrs. Merrell Gross ENGL 1302 01 October 2015 Word Count: 1,305 Small Signs Symbolism in literature is using an object to portray a different, deeper meaning in a story. Symbols represent ideas or qualities that the author has maneuvered into his or her story that has meaning. There can be multiple symbols in a story or just one. It is up to the reader to interpret the meaning of the symbols and their significance to the story. In “A Rose for Emily”, William Faulkner effectively uses symbolism to illustrate the fading glory of the Old South giving away to the progress of reconstruction and the new century. It also plays a role in understanding the whole meaning of the story and why Emily is a tragic figure as opposed to an evil person. The gray strand of hair found on the pillow next to Homer Barron’s corpse is a symbol that represents lost love and perverse action of Miss Emily. The hair represents Miss Emily’s determination to live how she wants while disregarding anyone’s approval. Her eccentric actions proves that she lives by her own moral code, that whatever it takes to be happy is welcome, even if it is murder. “What was left of him, rotted beneath what was left of the nightshirt...” (Faulkner 327). The strand of hair stands as the remnant of life that is left to decay, just like Homer Barron’s body (Getty 231). The lime that is sprinkled around Miss Emily’s house is another symbol in the story. Lime is a white powder used to cover the smell...
Words: 1517 - Pages: 7
...Symbolism in The Thing in the Forest In the story “The Thing in the Forest” by A.S. Byatt, the two protagonists, Penny and Primrose, are on an almost forced journey towards adulthood, after being separated from their mothers. Their imaginations save them from the tortures and terrors of a world in distress, keeping their innocence for as long as they can. An interesting thing about the story is that it is a fairy tale that provides any type of reprieve from real world problems and then replaces the realistic issues with archetypes. This story is filled with so many great symbolic moments. At the start of the story the author creates a very vague statement that interest the reader: “Penny and Primrose, saw or believed they saw a thing in the forest.”(Byatt 324). Although this statement is vague, it keeps the reader wanting to know more. A form of symbolism used is that the narrator makes a distinction between a child’s mind and an adult’s mind. How would you say to your child, “I am sending you away, because enemy bombs are falling out of the sky, but I myself am staying here…” When the two girls are...
Words: 1017 - Pages: 5
...symbolizes the darkness of death and is a constant reminder of death. When a guest hears its chimes they were instantly reminded of death. This is evident when the text states “....the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused reverie or meditation,”(Poe). The ebony clock is housed in the seventh room. The clock makes the guest extremely nervous (reminds them of the inevitable passage of time and how their time is limited until death). The guest attempted to escape death by coming to the abbey, but the clock serves as a reminder that they can’t live forever which is the reason why they avoid the room as much as possible). For these reasons, it is clear that the ebony is an example of symbolism in The Masque of the Red...
Words: 1043 - Pages: 5
...Symbolism in Theater and Cinema Arts 100 Daniel Jacobson What if I never saw the movie Jaws? Would I still feel the same way about sharks and the ocean? These are some of the questions I feel a lot of people can ask themselves after they have seen Jaws. What does this mean? Can the shark in Jaws represent or symbolize something more than just being a hungry shark? I remember watching Jaws as a kid, as you can imagine I was pretty scared. I think I was eleven at the time, and was living in San Diego. So going to the beach looking for seashells and swimming in the water was a regular thing to me, not after that movie! It wasn't till I was an adult that I truly was able to enjoy or appreciate Jaws as a movie. I love the ocean and have been snorkeling, spearfishing, and even swimming with sharks. And there is always that feeling in the back of your mind that at any moment something is going to sneak up behind you or come up from the dark water below you and attack. So where did that fear come from? Ive never been bitten by a shark so why would I be afraid of them? So what does the shark represent or symbolize, if anything other than a shark? I believe that the shark in jaws symbolizes the shear element of fear. You can see how the director captures this element when in “monster mode” by looking at the fear on each victim's face from the sharks point of view. The ocean is so foreign to us. Dark water, animals that are bigger, stronger than us and can swim faster than us....
Words: 665 - Pages: 3
...Symbolism and Foreshadowing in Cold Mountain Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent or portray ideas in a story or novel. Foreshadowing is the use of clues in a story to suggest what is going to happen later on. These two literary devices often work together because authors use symbols to foreshadow future events. In his novel, Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier constantly utilizes the literary device duo of symbolism and foreshadowing. Frazier uses the symbols of crows, Cold Mountain, and the colors of black and white to not only represent ideas, but to foreshadow events to come. The crow, seen multiple times throughout the novel, is an ambiguous symbol. Its symbolism is twofold. Crows are thought to be mischievous and clever, resourceful and opportunistic, and in Cold Mountain, they are ever present. For Ruby, crows are a symbol of independence, wisdom and survival: “She noted with disapproval that many a bird would die rather than eat any but food it relishes. Crows will relish what presents itself” (Frazier 176). For Ruby, crows symbolize life and how to survive in nature. Inman also sees crows as a symbol of independence and freedom. He envies them because they are free from the constraints that the world imposes on humans. On the other hand, crows symbolize a more sinister side to life. Throughout Inman’s travels, he encounters many difficulties. Crows seem to accompany all of these worst moments. Inman remembers seeing crows during the war and at Junior’s place before...
Words: 1089 - Pages: 5
...A Comparison of Symbolism in “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Lottery” Symbolism is when the author uses an object or reference to add deeper meaning to a story. Symbolism in literature can be subtle or blatant; it can also be used sparingly or considerably. An author may repeatedly use the same object to convey deeper meaning or may use variations of the same object to create an overarching mood or feeling. Many authors use symbolism to further foretell and capture the important elements of the story. Both Nathaniel Hawthorne in “Young Goodman Brown" and Shirley Jackson in “The Lottery’, use symbolism in these short stories. The stories both contain symbols describing evil. Hawthorne’s symbolism describes good versus evil, while Jackson's symbolism reflects the evil nature within society as a whole. The first two characters that Hawthorne introduces, Young Goodman Brown and his wife Faith, are both symbolic in their names. Brown's name symbolizes youth and good nature. Brown is a young man throughout the story, and his youth suggests that he has yet to be corrupted by the world and is still innocent. Hawthorne writes, "Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons on her cap, while she called to Goodman Brown" (Hawthorne 331). Faith’s name symbolizes the trust and virtue that is found within a good wife. It may also hint at the faith that Young Goodman Brown struggles to hang Haney 2 onto. As...
Words: 865 - Pages: 4
...Symbolism in The Red Badge of Courage The term Symbolism can be defined as the use of symbols to represent ideas, natural objects or facts (Mork). Throughout history, Symbolism has been used as a means of uniquely conveying certain messages across a public spectrum. Take for example the Underground Railroad system before the Civil War. Many slaves made quilts containing several pictures and symbols as a means of secretly communicating with other slaves (Breneman). The use of symbolism can especially be seen in literature; a great example of this is Stephen Crain’s novel The Red Badge of Courage. Written in 1895, the plot mainly takes place in the Civil War, more specifically in The Battle of Chancellorsville. It is said that this battle was one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War (The New York Times). The story centers around a young man Henry Fleming, who is very much obsessed with fame and recognition. Part of this obsession makes him join the Union Army, as an attempt to die with honor and to be forever immortalized by fame. Crane makes use of Symbolism through his characters, such as Henry, and the environment in which these characters are placed in. Through the use of Symbolism, Crane is introducing and informing the readers about the concept of Naturalism in such a subtle yet effective manner. Crane’s novel is filled with symbolism, take the title for example. Back in that time period, Civil War solders used the term red badge to describe a blood stain or wound attained...
Words: 1751 - Pages: 8
...own lives” (Backpack p. 236). That quote alone is shown throughout “The Lottery” because there is most definitely a shock factor at the end of the story. A reader almost must read it twice to fully comprehend all that goes on in the town square of Jacksons’ story. However, as one reads “The Lottery”, one can identify many comparisons using symbolism and when one reads the story again, one can identify even more symbols. In Shirley Jacksons’ short story, “The Lottery”, there are many different items in the book like names, a three-legged table, a black box, and stones to show symbolism and allegory throughout the story. Jackson places her symbols in a specific order and it is that order in which the symbols have the most impact. The first symbol that comes along in the story is Mr. Summers. Mr. Summers is described as, “a...
Words: 1428 - Pages: 6
