...Themes Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The Decline of the American Dream in the 1920s On the surface, The Great Gatsby is a story of the thwarted love between a man and a woman. The main theme of the novel, however, encompasses a much larger, less romantic scope. Though all of its action takes place over a mere few months during the summer of 1922 and is set in a circumscribed geographical area in the vicinity of Long Island, New York, The Great Gatsby is a highly symbolic meditation on 1920s America as a whole, in particular the disintegration of the American dream in an era of unprecedented prosperity and material excess. Fitzgerald portrays the 1920s as an era of decayed social and moral values, evidenced in its overarching cynicism, greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure. The reckless jubilance that led to decadent parties and wild jazz music—epitomized in The Great Gatsby by the opulent parties that Gatsby throws every Saturday night—resulted ultimately in the corruption of the American dream, as the unrestrained desire for money and pleasure surpassed more noble goals. When World War I ended in 1918, the generation of young Americans who had fought the war became intensely disillusioned, as the brutal carnage that they had just faced made the Victorian social morality of early-twentieth-century America seem like stuffy, empty hypocrisy. The dizzying rise of the stock market in the aftermath of the war led to a sudden, sustained...
Words: 1678 - Pages: 7
...Macbeth is one of the most symbolistic books of all time. Shakespeare has been known to be one of the best authors of all time.In the play Macbeth he uses symbols that are use to symbolixe other things in the book. In Macbeth power consumes the main character, taking him so far as to kill two men, one being his best friend and the other being the king. In Macbeth one of the major themes is the theme that power will consume you, it is expressed by the motifs as the daggers, sleep and guilt, and nighttime. The motif of daggers is symbolic by foreshadowing that a murder will happen. When Macbeth sees the dagger before he even kills king Duncan it is representing that a murder will occur. In Act 2 Scene 1 Macbeth begins to see the dagger in his...
Words: 563 - Pages: 3
...SYMBOLS, ARCHETYPES & MOTIFS Symbols Three categories: Archetypal – The first symbols of humankind that have replicated themselves in stories throughout the ages across all cultures. They appear in the stories of groups from cavemen to 21st century authors. The term “archetype” was coined by Karl Jung who used them as the basis of “collective unconscious” theory. Cultural – As cultural groups use archetypal symbols to represent their values, fears, beliefs, and expectations, these objects take on meaning specific to that group. For example, the cross is an ancient archetypal symbol. When cultural groups adopt it, the meanings become both universal and specific. For most cultures the cross holds spiritual significance; hence its archetypal meaning. For Christians the cross takes on specific representation of Christ’s crucifixion. Nuance – These objects take on symbolic meaning in the work in which they appear. Modern writers often create their own symbols by repeatedly using the object in meaningful ways. For example, Golding used the conch shell to represent order and governmental control. NOTABLE ARCHETYPAL SYMBOLS, CHARACTERS, AND STORY PATERNS Characters: Hero (Epic, Classical, Romantic, Realistic, Anti-Hero) Outcast, Scapegoat, Trickster, Platonic Ideal, Monster, Temptress, Star-crossed lovers, Clown/jester, Prophet Story Patterns: Rite of Passage/Initiation, Creation, Fall, Expulsion, Death & Rebirth, Journey, Quest Symbols: (Archetypal symbols have...
Words: 1504 - Pages: 7
...The author of ‘The Kite Runner' Hosseini employs a variety of symbols and motifs to create a deeper meaning throughout the book. Symbolism is the practice of representing a theme or idea by using symbols to create a deeper meaning, this is evident with cleft lip which is a symbol of Amir's and Hassan's social disparity, kites a symbol of happiness and guilt and the slingshot which a direct reference to David and Goliath. While irony is a motif because it is a recurring theme presented throughout the novel. The story revolves around two loyal friends Amir and Hassan, who are desperate to win the local kite flying competition. But both boys’ lives change for good that same afternoon when something devastating happens to Hassan. After the Russians invade, Amir and his father are forced to flee to America and amidst the turmoil Amir’s knows he will return to Afghanistan to redeem himself. Hosseini uses the cleft lip as a symbol to create a deeper meaning in the Kite Runner because it symbolizes Hassan’s status in society. This is evident because Amir and...
Words: 1007 - Pages: 5
...We Ate the Acid: A Note on Psychedelic Imagery “Symbols – symbols every where. All along my journey they flashed forth the apocalypse of utterly unimagined truths.” – Fitz Hugh Ludlow Psychedelic art typically contains a number of recurring motifs. Examples include circles, spirals, eyes, concentric shapes, grids, landscapes, nudity, long hair, skeletons and mushrooms. Other common motifs are various kinds of non-human animals, vegetation, space scenery and mandalas. And when humans and objects are featured, they are occasionally seen in x-ray. Furthermore, psychedelic art is usually – but not always – characterised by intense, contrasting colours. There may also be a liquid quality to objects, where it looks as if they are melting. Obviously,...
Words: 1538 - Pages: 7
...Throughout the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Dickens demonstrates several themes literary devices and motifs that articulate an overarching themes. These themes being of deceit in which situations tend to differ from their reality, and of the conception that money is not synonymous with happiness. Through the use of motifs and linguistic devices such as symbolism, Dickens illustrates the theme of deceit, in which situations are not always what they initially appear to be. For instance, Dickens uses Miss Havisham’s wedding apparel as a symbol referring to her feelings of despair and sadness for being left at the altar(Dickens 89). Another instance of symbolic use by Dickens is the stopped clocks. Though impossible, the stopped clocks represent the longing of slowed time felt by Miss Havisham due to her depressive and suicidal state in which she does not want life to go on. (Dickens 82). These symbols correspond to the motif of Satis house that represents Pip’s upper class dream. These symbols and motifs show that though Miss Havisham may be expected to be happy, she is instead the opposite, regardless of her assumed wealth and social status. Also, Dickens uses descriptive imagery in many vital scenes, including that of a surprising plot twist where Pip finds out he is related to the woman he loves. Dickens describes the scene with great weight on emotion, comparing Estella’s shame to “a dog in disgrace”(Dickens 62), conveying the notion that “things aren’t always...
Words: 673 - Pages: 3
...describes sin to Amir and he said “Now, no matter what the Mullah teaches, there is only one sin , only one, and that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. Do you understand that?” while Baba describes sin, this reveals a larger issue in the novel like when Baba and Amir ran into the Russian soldier in chapter 10. The kites in the story are a symbol for Amir’s happiness. It is also a symbol for Amir’s quilt. Flying kites is what he enjoys most as a child and it is the only way he connects with Baba, who was once at champion kite fighter. The kite has a different significance when Amir allows Hassan to be raped by Assef because Amir wanted to bring the blue kite back to Baba to gain his respect. The kite is a symbol of his betrayal to Hassan as well....
Words: 371 - Pages: 2
...Fitzgerald displays an expertise of the english language to tell the story of The Great Gatsby. His use of motifs allows him to further elaborate on events talked about in the story. The complexity of the motifs displays the moral issues that are dealt with in society. Fitzgerald does this to talk about the inescapable effects of wealth and one’s blind pursuit of happiness. The color green is a significant color motif used by Fitzgerald throughout the book. Nick narrates a scenario when he caught Gatsby looking off in the distance and “distinguished nothing but a green light” (Fitzgerald 21)”. The green is a symbol for a longing for more wealth and the desire to become a significant figure in society. Americans “have always been obstinate...
Words: 685 - Pages: 3
...All cultures around the world have a specific story to how the culture began. And in all of those stories are many recurring themes. Some of those symbols include water, the sun and moon, earth, and sexuality, plus many more. The cultures have that recurring theme based on what was critically important to their society. That could mean that geographically they depended on that theme, or even spiritually depended on it. For example, the cultures that are in the sam terrestrial biome are more likely to have the same theme compared to ones that are not in the same biome. Also, that gives cultures that are so far apart the opportunity to use the same motif in their stories. One important theme that shows up all across the world is the fact that...
Words: 1070 - Pages: 5
...Everybody has a hard time dealing with change. It’s no joke. Some go to the extreme to try and not make things change; others just cannot accept that it happened, while some people choose not to move on from it. In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye the main character Holden Caulfield, a troubled young man, is going through a tough time in life where everything is moving so quickly. He cannot accept the fact that he is becoming an adult and needs to start behaving as well as act like one. He constantly wants to be treated like an adult, but never acts like one. The reason for this is because he does not want to let go of his childhood. Dealing with change has been the issue he cannot seem to conquer. There are various images, symbols, and motifs that Salinger used in the novel that helps the reader realize that Holden is going through a tough time in life and cannot handle the fast paced. Overall the main problem with Holden is his trouble with dealing with change. There are many images in the book that Salinger used to make the reader come to a conclusion that Holden is having a hard time dealing with change. The movie theater, the museum, and the carrousel are just a few that were used in the novel. The movie theater is a strong image because basically that is the place where Holden goes to get away from everything. The movie theater is a place where he can escape reality and just relax from the fast paced life he has at that moment. Even though he thinks of the movie...
Words: 1275 - Pages: 6
...Jimmy Ayala Professor Mills English 1B April 15, 2014 Motifs and Symbols in ‘One Flesh’ In the short story “One Flesh”, we are introduced to Frank Wendell, an elderly man who has lost his wife to diabetes and is now a loner who looks for objects of value on the beach with his metal detector. The theme of lost-time, isolation and sentiment run through the story, even as Frank makes friends with shop owner Connor. These themes take a turn for a theme of hope as the story comes to a close and Frank meets Edie. A number of symbols and motifs are used in this story to represent the ups and downs of life and how knowledge and friendship can help anyone overcome their internal struggles. Three motifs that run through the story and illustrate the above ideas contained in the story are clocks, water and rings. The very first sentence of the story starts with the words “The digital clock in front of the Rockingham County Trust blinked off and, instantaneously, on again” (Mills 1). This suggests that time is an important theme in the story. We are further reminded of the importance of time in the second part of the same sentence – “it’s immense bright-red numerals informing Were Road that 9:12 had arrived on this mid-August Tuesday morning”(Mills 1). The way the sentence is framed suggests that time is both urgent and fast, and lazy and slow all at the same time. The blinking red numbers on the clock suggest urgency, but “mid-August Tuesday morning” sounds like it’s just another...
Words: 283 - Pages: 2
...The theme the author was showing in this story is to teach us that we need to be more acknowledging of the sin in our lives. Motifs are, “a distinctive feature or repeating idea in an artistic or literary composition (Storyboard).” Mr. Hooper constantly remind the people of their secret sin, and he shows them this in a artistic way. Symbols are, “ An object used for or representing something else; frequently an emblem, token, or sign, which represents something deeper and more important. It might be a material object representing something immaterial (Storyboard).” As said previously, the black veil was used as a symbol to symbolize secret sin and/or the darkness of humanity. The author uses all three, theme, motifs, and symbols to give the story more enthusiasm to the message being...
Words: 1156 - Pages: 5
...The Use of Symbolism inHenrick Ibsen’s Play, “A Doll’s House” Henrick Ibsen has outdone himself in his play “A Doll’s House”. Ibsen has refined and fine-tuned the taste and view of his plays with the use of different techniques, among them being Symbolism. Symbolism is among the most common techniques used in drama. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas and qualities, in an artistic and poetic style. It uses images, and indirect suggestions to express mystical ideas, emotions, suggestions and states of mind. Symbolism adds another layer of meaning to the meaning of script writing. While the clear, obvious meaning lies on the surface, symbolism is mostly hidden from the “front row” and it usually lies deeper than it seems. Ibsen utilizes symbolism in the play “A Doll’s House” with the purpose of revealing a certain character. In Nora’s character, Ibsen says that he used symbolism to develop her character and in the end the character’s qualities were incredibly outstanding that even the critics said it was an outstanding move. The play, “A Doll’s House,” revolves around the life of the two Main characters; TorvaldHelmer and his wife, Nora Helmer. They live in a “Doll looking House”, as it is symbolically represented by Ibsen. The play’ tittle, “A Doll’s House,” also symbolizes that all the people that live in Torvalds residence are “dolls.” Torvald plays with them when he pleases and ignores them when he has work to do or something else in his mind("Henrik Ibsen's...
Words: 2290 - Pages: 10
...Prompt: What are some overarching motifs and symbols embedded within the text of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s dramatic novella: Chronicle of a Death Foretold? The novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold was written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and further published in 1981. It is based on the true story of a man by the name of Santiago Nasar who had been accused for taking the virginity of an unmarried woman named Angela Vicario. The story takes place in a small town in Colombia, South America, set in the 1950’s. According to the Colombian culture, it is a terrible sin to take the virginity of an unmarried woman, so in the novel, this sinful man is murdered by two of the woman’s family members. Many motifs and symbols are embedded within the text of...
Words: 1353 - Pages: 6
...Written Your textual analysis provides the background for an essay, and account or a text in another genre you are asked to write about a text. You should only use results from the analysis, which are relevant for the focus you have chosen. Novels | Short stories | A novel is a literary imaginative work whose content has been invented in an author’s imagination. It does not represent actuality and it is seldom based on facts.Novels and short stories are fiction. | A short story belongs to the genre fiction.It is epic and it tells a story in just one main plot. Often: * Exposition (eksponering, udstilling, redegørelse) * Complication * Crisis * Sad/happy/open/surprising ending.A short story is often restricted (begrænset) to one setting only; fixed place and time and narrow (snæver, smal) social surroundings. There is a limited set of characters in a short story. A decisive (afgørende) situation beyond a character’s control occurs (forekommer, opstår) and the story starts. A short story only discusses a selected part of life. It mostly shows a decisive moment in life, which can entail (medfører) a fatal blow (skæbnesvangert) | To analyse fiction is to open the text by examining its various components (forskellige bestanddele). A good analysis will cover all the following points. * However, all the points will not be equally important in all analyses. Always base your analysis on what is actually said in the text. Analysing of fiction Description:...
Words: 1257 - Pages: 6
