Bruce Holland Rogers Dinosaur Symbolism

In the short story, “Dinosaur” by Bruce Holland Rogers, the author uses symbolism to convey the idea of a life filled with imagination and joy. Imagination, also called “the faculty of imagining”, is the creative ability to form images, ideas, and sensations in the mind. It unlocks a gate to a world of endless possibilities. From one's adolescent stage filled with playful scenarios, to day dreaming of the ideal self, the short story “Dinosaur” speaks on the importance of following your dreams rather than the money. The story begins with a young child with a wild imagination. “When he was very young, he waved his arms and gnashed the teeth of his massive jaws” says Bruce Rogers. Although the little boy truly believes he is the strongest dinosaur of them all, the parents give him a harsh reality check and tell him to be the human that he is. However, the parents urge him to follow his teacher's input and majoring in a math related career in the future seeing how he was gifted with math abilities. Time passes and the young boy becomes a working tax accountant. Although the job seemed respectable when his family suggested it, the man disliked the meekness he felt while at work. In attempt of lifting his outlook on life, the man retired from his job as a tax accountant. Unfortunately, retirement did not

In the story the young boy chooses to be a tax accountant only because it paid well and his parents told him to pursue it. Throughout the story the reader can see the man become progressively unhappy with his choice of being a tax accountant. He describes himself as “small” when in his younger stages he was a mighty and big dinosaur. The difference between the two supports the claim that following your dream rather than the money will always leave one more joyful and satisfied with their