In the book Paper Towns written by John Green, a girl named Margo Roth Spiegelman changes Quentin Jacobsen’s life forever. The fictional book focuses on the main character Quentin Jacobsen, nicknamed Q, who lives across the street from Margo Roth Spiegelman. Margo is an adventurous, risk taker that wants to get the most out of life, opposite of Q. One night Margo opens Q’s window and takes him on an all night mission to take revenge on those who deserve it. Then next day Margo doesn’t go to school, doesn’t show up the next day, or the day after that. Margo has disappeared, and has left clues for Q to find her. The three topics addressed in the captivating novel are foreshadows, symbols, and tone. First, John Green uses foreshadowing in the …show more content…
novel Paper Towns to create suspense and to keep the reader engaged in the text. “...but it was my last string, and I lost it,” (page 58). Earlier in the book Q has a flashback to when he and Margo were nine years old, and found a dead man in a park. Margo said that he probably lost all of his strings. When Margo says that she lost her last string on “the night of revenge” to Q, this foreshadows that something might happen to Margo or that she is going to run away. Another example is when Margo says, “I. Will. Miss. Hanging. Out. With. You” (page 81). This is an example of foreshadowing because when Margo says this, Q is confused because he thinks that they can hang out again, but when he tries to explain that they can see each other again, Margo tells him that that it is not possible. By including this in the story, the author is helping the reader infer that Margo will disappear. Overall, the author uses foreshadowing to captivate the reader into the novel. Next, the author also uses symbols throughout the story to help the reader better understand the idea of the novel.
When Margo disappears she leaves Q clues to find her. One of these clues Margo leaves for him is a poem, and Q learns that he has to figure out the meaning to lead to the next clue or possibly Margo. “So the grass is a metaphor for life, and for death, and for equality, and for connectedness, and for children, and for God, and for hope,” (page 173). At this point, Q figures out what the grass means in the poem Margo left for him. He connects how the grass is a symbol for so many things, with Margo and realized how much he had misinterpreted Margo and what she meant by the clues. Another way symbols are used in this novel is when Q finds Margo and she says, “...all of us being cracked open. Like each of us starts out as a watertight vessel” (page 302). Here, Margo is talking to Q about how a watertight vessel symbolizes a person, and each flaw is crack in the vessel showing what’s inside. Margo showed Q all of her flaws through her clues for him, and therefore Q saw what was inside, which is how he figured out how to find her. In the end, another way John Green uses symbols to add more meaning to the things Margo was
saying. Finally, the author uses tone to enhance Paper Towns. “I’d seen this pattern before. In the empty room above the rolled-up carpet. A map. With plotted points,” (page 217). In the scene Q is in the abandoned mini mall and has just found another clue to find Margo. The author’s tone is mysterious and exciting, making the reader anxious to read more. When Q and his friends finally find Margo, the author uses tone when one of Q’s friends say, “‘You could have called us and let us know that,’ Ben says, his voice tinged with frustration,” (page 283). Here, Ben is frustrated and angry because they spent a lot of time trying to find Margo and when they finally reached her, she was very rude and disrespectful. One can tell that the author is trying to let the reader know that Q’s friends are not very pleased towards Margo’s behavior when they first arrive through tone. In conclusion, the author’s tone adds more emotion to the reader and the novel itself. These three topics give a complete idea of the book by helping the reader understand the events taking place, anticipate what will happen next, and to easily engage in the novel. The strengths of the novel are the author’s excellent use of metaphors and figurative language to make the storyline more interesting, the use of mystery and twists keeping the reader excited for the next event, and the author also uses very descriptive detail to help the reader imagine objects, characters, and places. The weakness of this novel is how the author’s conclusion was not fulfilling enough for what the book deserved.
In the short story "Cornet at night" by Sinclair Ross foreshadowing plays a very important role in the piece of literature. Foreshadowing is the slight hint or clue that the author gives the reader to see how they can get the reader to imagine the vast amount of possibilities of what is to come in the future. In this story, foreshadowing is seen at many different times, but there are two instances where they are noted very strongly.
In like manner, green is also used to symbolize money. In the story, money controls the life of the people in the story. Gatsby feels that he needs green money to live and to impress Daisy. Symbols of Gatsby’s money included his large green lawn and the green ivy growing up his house. Also, in his car, it depicts the passengers sitting “in a sort of green leather conservatory.” All of these symbols depict Gatsby’s money.
Green drags the reader right into the text from the very beginning, and very skilfully keeps the reader engaged to the end of the introduction. With varied techniques to convey his message, Green is able to summarize the novel and grab attention in the few opening pages.
Zora Neale Hurston uses many symbols throughout her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, to represent many different things. Symbols are important in a novel because they reveal ideas and qualities beyond the literal sense of the symbol. Symbolism also helps the reader better understand the deeper meaning of the book. Zora Neale Hurston uses various symbols such as a horizon, Janie’s hair, and a pear tree in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Horizon is a powerful symbol that is recurrent throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Symbolism is immensely spread through this novel, as well as an immerse amount of color. For example, the green light gatsby strives for. Gatsby states that the "single green light" on Daisy's dock that Gatsby gazes wistfully at from his own house across the water represents the "unattainable dream," the "dream [that] must
Symbolism is strongly represented through Kaplan’s short story. The symbols represented are the ocean, the killing of the doe and the woods. Visiting the ocean for the first time at the Jersey Shore was new for Andy. Since then she had been awfully frightened of the ocean. She believes the ocean to be a huge, vast that constantly moved, keeps shifting
Another symbol used in the novel is colors. The first was the green. light. The light is a light. The light was only a light, however to Gatsby it became his dream.
Obsession is an important idea within Paper Towns. From obsession with Margo, to individual characters obsession with material and non-material Items. Obsession effectively contributes to the plot. There is one obsession that stands out, which is Quentin’s obsession with Margo. This effects the novel in many different ways and in various different parts. Q has obsessed over the idea of Margo throughout his life and revolves around her while making personal decisions. He brings his friends into this obsession witch changes his thoughts slightly but not
Some of the main symbols of the novel are The Hanging Wall, the colours of the clothing of the different women and the Eyes. All these symbols add different features to the story which are important. Some add fear, suspense, and overall they all add an important understanding of the story line. Margaret Atwood, was able to successfully create symbols which added depth and helped with the understanding of the novel. With these symbols she used in the novel she proved the importance and the positive effects strong symbolism can have with plot and character
These powerful symbols show how Fitzgerald worked diligently to incorporate ornate symbols in his novels. From “Daddy’s Girl” to the green light, Fitzgerald used symbols that helped to advance and enhance the plot. His symbols are truly vital to his novels, and help to entertain and engage his readers. That is why Fitzgerald is truly the master of symbolis
In "A Good Man is Hard to find" by Flannery O'Connor, one is struck by the unexpected violence at the end of the story. However, if the story is read a second time, reader can see definite signs of foreshadowing that hints to the ending of the story. Through O'Connor's technique of strong imagery to foreshadow the people and the events in the story is very compelling. There are two significant times that she uses this technique. They are the description of the grandmother's dress and the graveyard.
In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," by Flannery O’Connor, one is struck by the unexpected violence at the end of the story. However, if one re-reads the story as second time, one will see definite signs of foreshadowing of the ending. In the course of this story, O’Connor uses strong imagery to foreshadow the people and the events in this story. There are three significant times she uses this technique. They are the description of the grandmother’s dress, the death of the family, and the conversation between the Misfit and the grandmother.
The Yellow Wallpaper is overflowed with symbolism. Symbols are images that have a meaning beyond them selves in a short story, a symbol is a detail, a character, or an incident that has a meaning beyond its literal role in the narrative. Gilman uses symbols to tell her story of a woman's mental state of being diminishes throughout the story. The following paragraphs tell just some of the symbols and how I interpreted them, they could be read in many different ways.
Although in the novel the reader has to decipher and figure out the importance of these symbols, in the movie these symbols are enhanced and are shown more clearly to the viewer. They show Gatsby out on the dock reaching for the green light. When Gatsby is close to finally reaching his dream the light is shown brighter. Then, later on in the movie, they show light flicker and slowly go out after Gatsby’s death, showing how he had failed to gain the one thing he desired most, Daisy. Another example is the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleberg, the movie makes it more apparent that they represent the eyes of God looking over the corruption and loss of morality in the Valley of Ashes. While reading the book is more in depth, the movie can help the reader to further understand the meanings of these
One may wonder whether they make as great as an impact on others as they may think. “Do I really matter that much? Who would notice if I’m gone? Will others be upset if I leave unexpectedly?”- These are common questions asked by one. Paper Towns, by John Green involves a plotline where Margo Roth Spiegelman is missing after a most adventurous night with Quentin Jacobson. Margo has obviously deployed a large scheme of where she has gone and where she is going. Decipher if one may be able to subtly, or largely connect to Margo’s much detailed description, evaluate her finale of a night, or predict how the long line of hints Margo left for Q, will conclude.