Study Like a Boss
“Pull a thread here and you’ll find it’s attached to the rest of the world. ” This is a quote from Nadeem Aslam’s The Wasted Vigil that speaks of the deeper meaning of things on the surface that often goes unnoticed. It explains the idea that very simple things act as symbols of broader and … Read more
(AGG) The author of “Under The Persimmon Tree” often uses symbolism throughout the book. (BS-1) The author of UTPT uses the stars to give Najmah a superstitious belief, and give her hope and guidance to drive her towards her goals. (BS-2) The stars are used to help Nusrat accept loss, she looks to them for … Read more
A public spectacle occurs when the performance of the strange autopsy for Santiago Nasar is in the hands of the village priest, who is carless about Santiago’s body, in the novel “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”. In the story Santiago is killed by the Vicario brothers, Pedro and Pablo. Before Santiago was murdered he was … Read more
Additionally, South goes on to discuss the unicorn’s role in the Garden of Eden, describing how the unicorn and its mate refused to enter the ark. “Some accounts say that the unicorn drowned in the Flood, but others say that he survived by swimming until the waters went down” (South 1987:18). South’s tale is unique … Read more
Important Quotes “Valjean strained his eyes in the distance and called out…”Petit Gervais!…” His cries died away into the mist, without even awakening an echo…[H]is knees suddenly bent under him, as if an invisible power suddenly overwhelmed him with the weight of his bad conscience; he fell exhausted…and cried out, “I’m such a miserable man!” … Read more
Symbolism of the Book Prospero’s Cloak and BooksProspero’s cloak and books are revealed as the authentic source of his magical ability. Only twice does he remove his cloak; when he is explaining to Miranda their history and her true identity and again, at the end of the play, when he chooses to give up his … Read more
Symbolism Prep School The image of the prep school embodies all of Holden’s attitudes. The prep school veneer of perfection that conceals a world of inconsistency and hypocrisy is the primary symbol of all of Holden’s attitudes. Even the way the schools are advertised are a lie to Holden. Holden explains that Pencey Prep shows … Read more
Heorot The mead hall of Hrothgar is much more than a place to live, eat, and sleep. The expanse and safety of the mead-hall represent the power and wisdom of the king. That the Danes are able to find a place of solace and comfort under the roof of Hrothgar’s mead-hall is a symbol of … Read more
Symbols The Fog Machine As part of his delusion, Bromden regularly sees a haze of fog. Fog is a natural phenomenon that clouds the way the world is seen, and in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest fog is used to symbolize lack of awareness and to offer an escape from reality. As Bromden slips further and … Read more
Symbolism of Frankenstein The book uses some Christian imagery, referring to Victor Frankenstein as the “Creator”, thus comparing him to God, and comparing the Creature to Adam, the first man whom God created. Victor is also compared to Prometheus, a rebellious Titan from Ancient Greek mythology, and Prometheus, in his turn, shares many common features with Satan … Read more
Symbols Flames: Fire plays an important role in the play. It is symbolic not only of erotic love or desire, but also of destruction and ruin. Under the imagery of flames, Virgil is able to explain how one relates to the other, and how both are connected. The desire the Paris has for Helen is what … Read more
Symbolism Big Brother This is both the source of all power in the novel but also the symbol of the “benevolent dictatorship” of the party. It is a source of fear and the symbol of brotherly affection the Party holds toward the people. This is Orwell’s condemnation of central authority and the abuse they represent. … Read more
Symbolism The witch hunt is perhaps the most significant symbol in the play. The because the play deals with historical problems that attend the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the hunt for communists in American society, the entirety of the witch hunt stands as symbol for this series of events. As the play enacts … Read more
Character Names George Orwell authored Animal Farm as a parable, or a figurative representation of real life events. A number of the characters and the events in the book are meant to be symbolic, or representative, of actual participants in the Soviet Union and the Russian Revolution. Some of the animals who represent specific people or groups … Read more
Dance: When Elizabeth and Darcy dance for the first time, their steps and movements are stilted and formal. They are following both each other and the conventions of the dance. This is the symbol of the way their relationships unfolds. They come together by negotiating the cues from each other and by working with the conventions … Read more
Nature is a symbol of calmness, beauty and promise of future peace. A field of poppies, a beautiful autumn forest, and fluttering butterflies are the images diverting Paul from everything that goes on around. He allows himself these short periods of rest, understanding that anytime he will have to go back to use his skills to … Read more
Lord of the Flies is full of biblical references, starting from the title, which is a translation of the name of Beelzebub, a prince of the demons. The conch is also one of the most prominent symbols, almost equal to royal regalia in the boys’ society. The conch represents order, being a way to call countless assemblies for … Read more
Blood Probably the most critical symbol in the play, blood symbolizes the guilt of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. It is associated with stains and signs of misdeeds which cannot be washed away or stains which would spread to everything it touches. Blood is also the symbol of natural order. The proper bloodline of kings, when … Read more
Light and Dark As with so much of Shakespeare, the symbolism is always complex. Romeo and Juliet continually refer to each other in terms of light. They are “star-cross’d lovers” from the start. Romeo sees Juliet lit by a light in the darkness. Yet, throughout the play they are forced to cover their actions in … Read more
The book is full of different symbolism examples that are typical for American literature of the 20th century, but also unique for Fitzgerald. Most of the critics agree that any analysis of the examples of symbolism should start with the interpretations of the American dream concept. The protagonist of the book is pursuing his craziest … Read more
Bradbury’s prose is overflowing with symbols and Fahrenheit 415 is not an exception. Fire – a destructive force at the beginning, a tool of reinforcement and punishment, accompanied by night, black uniforms of firemen and smell of kerosene. At the end of the novel Bradbury gives another interpretation of fire, as a source of warmth, comfort … Read more
The Sea is an embodiment of Nature. Santiago and other fishermen see themselves as a part of it and respect this source of nourishment and potential menace, for the sea is the force beyond anyone’s control. Marlin is the symbol of victory and reward in many senses. The parallel to Herman Melvil’s “Moby Dick” is … Read more
Often in great works of literature, symbols are incorporated to add depth. These symbols make it more interesting to the reader by making connections from one idea to another. Herman Melville depicts a great number of characters and symbols in his 19th century novel Moby Dick. Melville uses symbols to develop plot, characters, and to … Read more
Gustave Flaubert presents one extreme side of human life many would very much rather think does not exist. He presents a tale of sensual symbolism within the life of Charles Bovary. Madame Bovary is the story of Emma Bovary, but within the scope of symbolic meaning, the make-up of Charles is addressed. It is representative … Read more
In his play “Ghosts”, Ibsen forces the reader to think about his own ideas and believes, as well as those of society and past ages. Symbolism is one technique repeatedly used to portray the author’s ideas through rain, light, fire, the orphanage, Oswald, and through Engstrand himself. The use of religion is also interesting in … Read more
“The truth about man is not merely that he is, by nature, savage and afraid, but that he refuses deliverance, and murders the messenger of light”(Dick, “Criticism” 197). This view of our nature as human beings is based on the teachings of the Christian doctrine of original sin, a theory that has been used as … Read more
Symbolism in literature is the deepness and hidden meaning in a piece of work. It is often used to represent a moral or religious belief or value. Without symbolism literature is just a bunch of meaningless words on paper. The most symbolic piece of work in American Literature is Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter. Hawthornes … Read more
I have a poets weakness for symbols. So states Tom Wingfield, narrator and major character in Tennessee Williams timeless play The Glass Menagerie. Through the eyes of Tom, the viewer gets a glance into the life of his family in the pre-war depression era; his mother, a southern belle desperately clinging to the past, his … Read more
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work is unique. His writings are full of subtle imagination, analysis, and poetic wording. His short stories are known for their originality and for their ability to provoke the reader’s thoughts. Although a large portion of his stories are allegories, Hawthorne’s preference is to draw more heavily on symbolism (Pennell 13). His use … Read more
Symbolism at it’s best is limitless in conveying a feeling, mood, or atmoshphere that words alone can not define. It can trigger emotion, persuade the reader to question everything they know thus far, or inflict thoughts that, in the most twisted sense of the story, would seem barely justified. Symboloism reaches out to the reader … Read more
The story, Lord of the Flies, has many interesting symbols relating adult society to kids surviving on an island. Many of the characters and items in this novel such as Jack or the conch can be interpreted on a macroscopic scale but the most important being this; a microcosm of children on an island makes … Read more
From the beginning, the figure of the narrator shows that Williams’ play will not follow the conventions of realistic theater. The narrator breaks the conceptual “fourth wall” of naturalistic drama by addressing the audience directly. Tom also tells us that he is going to give the audience truth disguised as illusion, making the audience conscious … Read more
There have been many writers who have astonished the literary world with their configuration of short stories, but none of them have perfected the art as well as Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne wrote in a time period when Fredrick Douglas was paving the road to racial freedom, Ralph Waldo Emerson wanted to world to be seen … Read more
In Heart of Darkness it is the white invaders for instance, who are, almost without exception, embodiments of blindness, selfishness, and cruelty; and even in the cognitive domain, where such positive phrases as “to enlighten,” for instance, are conventionally opposed to negative ones such as “to be in the dark,” the traditional expectations are reversed. … Read more
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a novel about one man’s disenchantment with the American dream. In the story we get a glimpse into the life of Jay Gatsby, a man who aspired to achieve a position among the American rich to win the heart of his true love, Daisy Fay. Gatsby’s downfall … Read more
Nathaniel Hawthornes work is typically fraught with symbolism, much of it deriving from his puritan ancestry. Not surprisingly, Hawthorne was obsessed with the themes of sin and guilt. John Roth notes that A number of recurring thematic patterns and character types appear in Hawthornes novels and tales (Roth 76). Because he is speaking of what … Read more
Authors sometimes use symbols in their novels to represent different objects, people or ideas. One example is the S on Supermans uniform, which symbolizes him being supper. In The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne creates the symbolism of the letter A to have different meanings. As the novel unfolds, the meanings of the letter A on … Read more
F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel The Great Gatsby is about a man named Gatsby and his struggle to attain the American Dream in 1920s Long Island. He fights to get his dream woman and to do so, he must first become rich. Unfortunately, he doesnt really go about it the right way; he takes part in … Read more
The play The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, Williams uses many symbols which represent many different things. Many of the symbols used in the play try to symbolize some form of escape or difference between reality and illusion. The first symbol, presented in the first scene, is the fire escape. This represents the “bridge” between … Read more
Shirley Jackson’s, ‘The Lottery’;, clearly expresses her feelings concerning traditional rituals through her story. It opens the eyes of readers to properly classify and question some of today’s traditions as cruel, and allows room to foretell the outcome of these unusual traditions. ‘The Lottery’; is a short story that records the annual sacrifice ceremony of … Read more
For starters, I would like to begin by saying that this piece of literature, to me, was a disturbing piece of fiction that reminded me of the book (and film) “The Shining” by Stephen King. Both story’s draw from the instability of the main characters mental state. This story in particular draws from the personal … Read more
Authors often use events and things to symbolize stages in someone’s life. Symbolism is the practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing meaning of significance to objects, events, or relationships. In Beowulf, Beowulf fights Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. In the anonymous epic Beowulf, Beowulf’s battles symbolize the youth, … Read more
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s use of symbolism and colors in The Great Gatsby is prominent in every chapter of his novel. To fully understand the meaning of his color use, a reader must recognize the situations in which these colors are used. The color green is traditionally associated with spring, hope, and youth. One possible meaning … Read more
A romantic life full of pain and abandonment could only be given the monstrous form of “Frankenstein. ” Mary Shelley’s life gave birth to an imaginary victim full of misery and loneliness and placed him as the protagonist of one of her most famous and greatest works of art. As most people would assume, he … Read more
Color symbolism is really popular in novels written during the 1920’s. One such example is Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. There is much color symbolism in this novel, but there are two main colors that stand out more than the others. The colors green and white influence the story greatly. Green shows many thoughts, … Read more
Francis Scott Fitzgeralds novel, The Great Gatsby, is full of symbolism, which is portrayed by the houses and cars in an array of ways. One of the more important qualities of symbolism within The Great Gatsby is the way in which it is so completely incorporated into the plot and structure. Symbols, such as Gatsbys … Read more
The book The Scarlet Letter is all about symbolism. People and objects are symbolic of events and thoughts. Throughout the course of the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester, Pearl, and Arthur Dimmesdale to signify Puritanic and Romantic philosophies. Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the … Read more
Symbolism is a literary technique used in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to liven up the story and give a deeper significance to the plot. Almost anything in the poem can be interpreted as a symbol in one way or another. The Green Knight, the green sash, and Sir Gawain’s shield are three of … Read more
It is Edgar Allan Poe’s intense use of symbolism and irony throughout “The Cask of Amontillado” that establishes the short story as a candidate worthy of analysis. The skillful use of these devices are utilized by the author to create this horrific and suspenseful short story. Irony and symbolism in “The Cask of Amontillado” greatly … Read more
Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a book of much symbolism. Set in 16th century New England, the book starts with the public punishment of Hester Prynne, a convicted adulterer. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Hesters illegitimate daughter, … Read more
