symbolism. a symbol is… an object that stands for itself and a greater idea. we see symbols every...
TRANSCRIPT
Symbolism
A symbol is…
an object that stands for itself and a greater idea.
We see symbols every day…
In literature, symbolism…
creates a direct, meaningful link between…
a specific object, scene, character, or action
and
abstract ideas, values, persons or ways of life.
Symbolism is be used to…
Provide meaning beyond the obvious: Emphasize key ideas or themes:
A river can represent the flow of life…
… or its depth may represent the unknown…
… the water might be purity…
… or there could be dangers beneath the surface.
They should work to enhance the story…
A walk into a tunnel – or change from day to night•movement from good to evil
•something bad is coming…
A storm at a critical moment •intense emotion and trouble…
Dawn•end of conflict
•start of something new
And give insights into characters:
In Poe’s “Telltale Heart,” the sound of the beating heart represents the man’s guilt…
…a character’s name may tell you something about them, in “The Lottery” Mr. Graves has authority over the killing…… and a character’s
appearance can be symbolic – in Cask of Amontillado, Fortunato wears a fool’s costume – and he is, in fact, a fool for trusting the narrator.
How can you spot a symbol?
There is no single method for determining a symbol, but some good indications might be:
Colors or objects that are used repeatedly: if it’s mentioned often, it’s probably important
Unusual character names Objects / creatures that have cultural
meanings (lions = strength, owls = wisdom, etc.)
One warning…
“Symbols” may be personal interpretations, and may be unintended by the author; but I will successfully argue that this is NOT the case with Hawthorne or Poe.
Consider this dialogue from Peanuts:
Lucy: “Do you always have the people’s hands behind their back to symbolize your shyness?”
Charlie Brown: “No, I just don’t know how to draw hands.”
What does this image symbolize?
And this…
And these…
The end.
And these…
PART 1: HOW MANY SYMBOLS CAN YOU ASSOCIATE WITH UNIVERSAL, ABSTRACT IDEAS OR VALUES??
HINT: Don’t limit yourselves to objects, think also about shapes and colors or just parts of a picture