As most proficient authors are aware, the process of developing themes within a work of literature is one of the most important duties of a writer. Authors have numerous methods available to them for this task, including devices such as symbolism. Ken Follett, author of The Pillars of the Earth, uses symbolism frequently throughout his novel (which is set in 12th century England and follows the dramatic events surrounding the construction of a cathedral). Follett employs several symbols, including the cathedral, the English monarchy, and fire, to aid him in conveying themes concerning the power of faith in achieving one’s goals.
The most prominent symbol in Follett’s masterpiece is the cathedral itself. It is the centerpiece of the entire plot, and also, quite literally, the vital center of the town of Kingsbridge. The building of the vast church binds the citizens together because all of their fates are tied to the effort of accomplishing such a huge project. With the existence of a cathedral, the town also benefits economically because of the increased numbers of religious pilgrims and inevitable attempts to cater to their material demands. The attitude toward the completion of the cathedral is the sole defining factor of a character’s role in the novel. The passion involved in the process of building the church is best expressed in Ellen’s plea for her son, Jack, to be allowed to continue working on it: “… the challenge of that cast church has got into his blood. He’ll go wherever someone is building a cathedral. He’ll go to Jerusalem if there’s stone there to be carved into angels and devils” (573). Because this cathedral is so incredibly significant to the townspeople, it comes to symbolize all of their hopes, dreams, and a...
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... the wool business, leading her to Kingsbridge and her future lover, Jack; Tom Builder is rescued from unemployment and starvation, and Kingsbridge gets a stunning new cathedral; and the town learns how to defend itself in the future. As Tom Builder put it, “It was not the devil who sent a master builder here on the night the church burned down” (252). In this manner, another theme is revealed: through perseverance, one can overcome nearly any obstacle, no matter how bleak it may seem.
These three symbols, the cathedral, the monarchy, and fire, serve to illustrate multiple themes in Pillars of the Earth about having faith and accomplishing one’s dreams. In a book as lengthy as this one, the author must use some device to tie the events together and express his purpose. Follett accomplishes this beautifully by harnessing the power of symbolism in literature.
The most direct way in which an author reinforces the themes of a novel is through the use of literary devices. In Cloudstreet by Tim Winton, one of the most prominent of these devices is symbolism, which plays upon the aesthetic sensibilities harboured by the text's audience and provides insight and deeper understanding to the themes of the novel. Indeed, Cloudstreet itself, the river and religious symbolism contribute to meaning and the author's endorsement of love, family, determination, and spirituality in the search for completeness.
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."
Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with many different symbols. The symbols are clearly seen by Holden's constant repetition of their importance. The symbols are so important and their symbolism is directly related to the major themes of the novel.
A symbol is a person, object, or event that suggests more than its literal meaning. Symbols can be very useful in shedding light on a story, clarifying meaning that can’t be expressed with words. It may be hard to notice symbols at first, but while reflecting on the story or reading it a second time, the symbol is like a key that fits perfectly into a lock. The reason that symbols work so well is that we can associate something with a particular object. For example, a red rose symbolizes love and passion, and if there were red roses in a story we may associate that part of the story with love. Although many symbols can have simple meanings, such as a red rose, many have more complex meanings and require a careful reading to figure out its meaning. The first symbol that I noticed in Ethan Frome is the setting. It plays an important role in this story. The author spends much of the first few chapters describing the scene in a New England town Starkfield. When I think of a town called Starkfield, a gloomy, barren place with nothing that can grow comes to mind. As the author continues to describe this town, it just reinforces what I had originally thought.
The symbols and images reinforce each other because they create a dark image of the future in the minds of the audience, and also present familiar religious signs like fire in Hell. What makes the imagery so effective in the essay is that it resonates with the audience because of the religious connections that Edwards
First symbolism is blood, where it presents the human being’s repressed soul and sadness. Second symbolism is “The Hearth and the Salamander” as to represent the fire’s dominance at the beginning of Montag’s life and how it eventually bring sorrow upon him. Third symbolism is phoenix where it’s rebirth refers to the cyclical nature of human history and the collective rebirth of humans and Montag’s spiritual resurrection. Where the city was ruined at the end as the result of human relies technology and not gaining knowledge from books. Throughout the development of the novel, Ray Bradbury uses three symbolisms to represent different ideas of destructions of life without books and if human in the future relies technology to bring them
These audiotapes represent a distinguished type of communication that requires no visual interaction, but an interface that involves understanding and empathy instead, something the narrator has not yet learned. At this point of the story the narrator believes that Robert could not have possibly fulfilled his now deceased wife’s, Beulah’s, aspirations as seen when he states, “I found myself thinking what a pitiful life this woman must have led,” (37). The narrator bases his reason solely on the fact that the man is blind, so how could he have ever interacted or contributed in their relationship. In reality, though, it is the narrator himself, who has not fully satisfied or even begun to fully appreciate his own wife. The audiotapes symbolize this absence of appreciation and reveals to the reader that the narrator has not even considered this “harmless chitchat,” (36) as he describes it, to be of importance to his own marriage. It is not until the end, when he finishes drawing the cathedral that he is capable of understanding what his wife and Robert share. The cathedral is the other major symbol in this story, since it is the pivotal turning point for when the narrator becomes a dynamic character. Without the cathedral the narrator would not have succumbed to his new acceptance of what it means to actually see someone or something. When the narrator says, “I didn’t feel like I was inside anything,” (46) this is the indication of that epiphany coming to him. Moments before, the narrator had just explained to Robert that he did not “believe in it [religion]. In anything,” (45) however, this insightful moment now contradicts that statement, supporting the notion that the narrator has advanced as a character. Furthermore, a cathedral, which is assumed to bring solace and a new light to those in pursuit of one, offered the
Upon reading Raymond Carver's short story of the Cathedral one will notice the literary devices used in the short story. When analyzing the story completely, one then understands the themes, motifs, metaphors, and the overall point of the piece. This leaves the reader with an appreciation of the story and a feeling of complete satisfaction.
Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with various symbols. The symbols are clearly made evident by Holden’s constant repetition of their importance. The symbols are so important and their symbolism is directly related to the major themes of the novel.
...nd optimistic" (Watson 114). The few critics who have written specifically about "Cathedral" tend concentrate on that optimism, seen at the end of the story with the narrator’s "esthetic experience [and] realization" (Robinson 35). In concentrating on the final "realization" experienced by the narrator, the literary community has overlooked his deep-rooted misunderstanding of everything consequential in life.
Symbolism is commonly used by authors that make short stories. Guin is a prime example of how much symbolism is used in short stories such as “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” and “Sur.” In both of these stories Guin uses symbolism to show hidden meanings and ideas. In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” there is a perfect Utopian city, yet in this perfect city there is a child locked in a broom closet and it is never let out. A few people leave the city when they find out about the child, but most people stay. Furthermore, in “Sur” there is a group of girls that travel to the South Pole and reach it before anyone else, yet they leave no sign or marker at the South Pole. Guin’s stories are very farfetched and use many symbols. Both “Sur” and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” have many symbols such as colors, characters, objects, and weather. The four types of symbols that Guin uses help the readers understand the themes in her short stories. Although her stories are farfetched, they need symbolism in them or the reader would not understand the theme; therefore the symbols make Guin’s stories much more enjoyable.
Carver, Raymond. “Cathedral.” The Norton Introduction to Literature, Portable 10th ed. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: Norton, 2011. 32-44. Print.
Many authors and poets uses symbolism to express emotion and sections throughout the text. Symbols is a great literary device that can help give messages to the reader without the author being too direct. In the story, “Barns Burning” by William Faulkner, Symbolism helps analysis different emotions and meaning throughout the story.
Although there are no major buildings in the novel, the conch shell, Piggy’s glasses and the fire show how symbols wield different amounts and kinds of power. When each is destroyed, there is a weakening in the power one can get from them. The use of symbols is crucial to this novel, thus, William Golding helps show us that an object is so much more powerful than it may first be.
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