Symbolism in The Playboy of the Western World
Symbols are a powerful way of conveying information and feelings by
substituting something concrete to represent an idea e.g. the heart
(love), the dove (peace). Such representation is called symbolism.
In writing The Playboy of the Western World, Synge serves us an Irish
delicacy, in which lies the subtle yet memorable flavour of symbolism,
in the midst of rollicking comedy and luscious language.
The play opens with Pegeen writing about wedding requirements since
she is to marry Shawn Keogh. This marriage is a symbol of the Mayo
peasants’ bondage to a life of boredom, from which only ‘until death
do (they) part’. Christy, however, takes the village of Mayo
temporarily out of this reality, as Pegeen answers to his question
with the words, “What would I want a wedding so young?” knowing that
she is to marry Shawn. It appears a life of excitement awaits Pegeen
but she says rightly “We’re only talking, maybe.” Just as Pegeen’s
marriage to Shawn was delayed but not altogether dismissed by
Christy’s appearance so the excitement in Mayo was temporary and
boredom continuation inevitable. Such symbolism is effective in that
it links together the individual and communal levels of the play.
The picture we first obtain about Christy from Shawn is symbolic of
the epic proportions of Christy’s account reaches. Shawn tells of “a
kind of fellow” stealing poultry, following him and probably going to
kill him, “groaning wicked like a maddening dog,” when in reality
appears only “a very tired and frightened” young man. Christy
testifies of how his ‘da’ lay “stretched out” and “split to the knob
of...
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...onveys the message of laziness and unrealized potential. Thus the two
symbols bring out the contrast in the state of Christy’s affairs well.
The fight between Christy and Old Mahon is symbolic of Christy’s
battle between his old self and his new self where his future lies at
the stake. Ultimately, Christy wins. His being captain and Old Mahon
being his servant symbolizes Christy as having a firm grip on his past
and living out the implications of his new image. At this point, we
know self-realization has been fulfilled since Christy himself tells
us “you’ve turned me a likely gaffer at the end of all.”
The impressiveness of Synge’s use of symbols rests also in their
natural occurrence throughout the play, as well as the union they form
between the physical and the abstract, adding more depth to the play
as a whole.
Misogynistic Confinement Yellow Wallpaper depicts the nervous breakdown of a young woman and is an example as well as a protest of the patriarchal gender based treatments of mental illness women of the nineteenth century were subjected to. The narrator begins the story by recounting how she speculates there may be something wrong with the mansion they will be living in for three months. According to her, the price of rent was way too cheap and she even goes on to describe it as “queer”. However, she is quickly laughed at and dismissed by her husband, who as she puts it “is practical in the extreme.” As the story continues, the reader learns that the narrator is thought to be sick by her husband John, yet she is not as convinced as him.
Another easily recognized symbol in this story is that of the snake. "Sykes, what you throw dat whip on me like dat? You know it would skeer me - looks just like a snake, an' you knows how skeered Ah is of snakes" (Hurston 678). The snake is the main symbol in this story, it ties it together because it is mentioned at the beginning of the story and at the end. Sykes decides to bring a snake into their home, "Look in de box dere Delia, Ah done brung yuh somethin'.Syke! Syke, mah Gawd! You tak...
through some old things of my father's in the attic. I came across an old issue
Chapter three of the text, Inside Social Life by authors Cahill, Sandstrom and Froyum; discusses the importance of symbolism and how each individual within society comprehends the realities which surround them. Humans have the capacity to relate, internalize and interpret in their own words; the objects they visualize, smell, taste, hear and see on a daily basis. The chapter discusses how symbolism helps regulate human life and activity; alongside forming cohesion and stability within society. For example, if humans stayed at the level of sensation, experiencing everything around them; soon all would become overwhelmed and utterly distracted. (Sandstrom, 2014). This short paper will aim to critique and analyze author Sandstroms’ chapter on Symbols and the Creation of Reality. Discussed within the paper will be points which to the reader are deemed as ones of great value; in conjunction with points which may have brought the chapter to lose its major emphasis.
The Mistreated and the Mislabeled. Physicians who are gender biased tend to misdiagnose and mistreat patients because of their ignorance and poor communication. The Yellow Wallpaper, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a captivating socio-political allegory expressing how cultural expectations can shape and effect the mind of a creative woman suffering from what could be assumed to be a severe case of postpartum depression. Gilman, uses a unique epistolary form point of view using the journal belonging to a character assumed to be by the name of Jane, who is the wife and patient of a physician named John. She provides a chilling and alluring setting to vividly depict the grave consequences of gender bias doctors who are mistreating and mislabeling patients.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman brings to light the inequalities of patriarchal society and marital inequality in the 19th century via her short story “The Yellow Wallpaper.” First published in 1892, “The Yellow Wallpaper” was written and takes place in a time when marriage was acceptably unequal and gender roles were clearly defined. Now it is regarded as a literary masterpiece in feminist ideology. The story was written as a series of journal entries from the perspective of the narrator, a young woman who has been diagnosed with a temporary nervous depression by her husband, John, who is a physician. The couple moves into a rented house for the summer and her husband orders her to strict bed rest. Isolated in a room that is covered in “hideous” yellow wallpaper and with bars on the windows, she becomes increasingly obsessed with the paper and slips further down the rabbit hole of psychosis (Gillman 13). On the surface, the story may seem that it is simply about a woman suffering from mental illness and a loving husband trying his best to take care of her. Digging deeper, it becomes clear that her husband is controlling every aspect of her life including her freedom, creativity, and sanity; disregarding her as a subordinate - far less than equal.
Most controversy over magazines is about the images they portray. According to the writers, Amy Malkin, Kimberlie Wornian, and Joan Chrisler, "Women and Weight: Gendered Messages on Magazines Covers," women's magazines insist on dieting, exercise, and cosmetic surgery to achieve the ideal body. This is in no way true. Yes, magazines show pictures of beautiful women and have articles that relate to dieting, exercise and surgery. However, magazines have no other purpose than to inform. Also, magazines do not cause women to feel inadequate; they are useful tools in which women can find informative articles on the issues at hand.
Cosmopolitan is a international magazine for ladies was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later converted into a literary magazine and in the long run turned into a ladies' magazine in the late 1960s otherwise called Cosmo, its content starting 2011 included articles on issues, relationships, sex, wellbeing, professions, improvement toward oneself, celebrities, fashion and excellence for ladies. Published by Hearst Magazines, Cosmopolitan has 64 international editions, is printed in 35 dialects and is distributed in in excess of 110 countries]
Symbolism is one of the most effective and powerful elements in writing. We see various examples of this all throughout "The Things They Carried." Symbolism enables us to tell a story one way, while all along trying to say another. I believe Tim O'Brien has achieved success in doing so in "The Things They Carried."
Charlotte Perkins Gilman lived in a time when sexism was a much more predominant than it is today. In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Gilman uses symbolism and irony to express feminist thought. Charlotte Gilman experienced unfair treatment similar to what is described in her story in her lifetime and was a pioneer of feminism. She uses the narrator, Jane, as an example of how harsh certain treatments can be and of the toll they can have on someone mentally. Charlotte Gilman uses the narrator of this story to express her opinion of how horrible unfair treatment can be and the effects it can have on someone.
Gender roles can have a negative effect on a person as was illustrated in the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper”, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The stereotypical gender roles which are associated with both men and women strip both genders of their individuality as it encourages all women and, subsequently, all men to behave in the same fashion as the rest of their gender. This limits self-expression and restricts people to conform to the gender roles set for them by society. Accordingly, this can lead to negative effects on a person if they feel that they do not act according to the gender roles set for them by society. The journal entries written by the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” display the negative effect that gender roles
the nineteen hundreds. “The Yellow Wall-Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is no different in the way that the females are treated in society within this time period. The narrator is treated as less then equal. Through out the story the narrator is belittled and reduced as a woman. With such belittlement within the story of women, the discussion of gender mistreatment is brought forth within the novel.
The society and I know that Cosmopolitan is a magazine that is aimed at women and has been a women’s magazine since the 1960’s. My main message, as me being a constant reader of the Cosmopolitan magazine, that I am trying to get across to you is the certain advertisements Cosmopolitan decides to include in their issues every year. These advertisements create a controversy within the media and I am inspired to make a change to this. I am not only speaking from one woman’s point of view but in fact several of my friends, who are also readers of the magazine, have mentioned similar things to me and the negativity they are concerned it may create towards the women
This play shows the importance of the staging, gestures, and props making the atmosphere of a play. Without the development of these things through directions from the author, the whole point of the play will be missed. The dialog in this play only complements the unspoken. Words definitely do not tell the whole story.
Undermining the Patriarchy in “The Yellow Wallpaper” “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is narrated by an unnamed woman who is struggling with mental illness. Though the narrator feels she knows which actions will bring about her recovery, she is compelled to move to an old abandoned mansion and do everything that her husband thinks is best, because he is a physician and the head of her household. What unravels is a story of how upholding the patriarchy instead of trusting the woman’s intuition leads to tragic consequences, which undermines the idea of patriarchy itself. At the beginning of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator explains that she is suffering from some sort of psychiatric malady, but explains that her husband does not think it is a serious issue. She says, “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in a marriage” (Gilman 647).