Paula Vogel’s play, How I Learned to Drive, artistically tackles the disturbing issue of incestual pedophilia. The play’s protagonist Li’l Bit narrates the action as she goes through her memory of specific events. Much like stream of consciousness, her narration does not lead chronologically to scenes in her past. Rather it jumps back and forth between the present and different points in her life. She tells of her memories of youth and her sexual and emotional relationship with her Uncle Peck. Rather than simply telling about her experiences, though, Li’l Bit shares her memories through vignettes which show the audience her role in the affair within the context of learning to drive (Greene 425).
Vogel’s writing exudes symbolism from the first word of the script to the last – from the rise of the curtain to its close. The glimpses into Li’l Bit’s past are sometimes explicitly and literally described, but Vogel also often uses extended metaphors to act as a detailed commentary on the action. Why, however, did the playwright choose symbolism to convey the effects of sexual abuse – as heavy as its subject matter may be – during the late twentieth century when seemingly nothing is censored in America? In order to answer this and better understand the way in which Vogel uses symbolism –in the smaller elements of the play and extended metaphors – the terms must first be defined.
Symbolism can be defined as “the representation of a reality on one level of reference by a corresponding reality on another” (“Symbolism” 564). The word symbol comes from the Greek word "symballein," which translates literally into “to throw together” and suggests the combining of two unrelated worlds. Much...
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The play, “Riley Valentine and the Occupation of Fort Svalbard”, by Julia- Rose Lewis is an exploration of the resilience of teenagers. The play is heavily symbolic and supports the dramatic meaning of the show. Throughout the Queensland Theatre Company’s interpretation of this play, the director, Travis Dowley, expresses forms of dramatic elements to articulate three types of manipulations. These manipulations include the manipulation of body and voice, space and the creation and manipulation of dramatic mood. Through these types of manipulations, it portrays the dramatic meaning towards the performance. Although, the use of space throughout Travis’s performance allows the audience to identify this dramatic meaning.
Symbolism In "The Things They Carried" In Tim O'Brien's story "The Things They Carried" we see how O'Brien uses symbolism in order to indirectly give us a message and help us to connect to what the soldiers are thinking and feeling. During a war, soldiers tend to take with them items from home, kind of as a security blanket. The items they normally take with them tend to reveal certain characteristics of their personality. Henry Dobbins is the guy who loves to eat, so he made sure he took some extra food. Ted Lavender was the scaredy cat of the group, so he carried tranquilizers with him.
Symbolism is a major literary device that helps people see a book through symbols that often have a deeper meaning. A symbol is used to explain something in a different way, using images, objects, etc. instead of just saying it in words. As you search for a deeper meaning in a work of art or literature, it can help you understand the authors intentions and the deeper significance of a work. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, symbols help reinforce the major themes of the book. Fire and flames have been used as symbols by many authors.
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Symbolism is the use of symbols to imply thoughts are unique in relation to their literal sense. Authors often use this literary element to create a certain emotion and relay a more profound meaning into a work of writing. As we go through the story, this utilization can be easily found in the classic tale of Rip Van Winkle as symbolism plays a major part.
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The analysis argues the use of symbolism as it applies to the aspects of the characters and their relationships. Henrik Ibsen’s extensive use of symbols is applied to capture the reader’s attention. Symbols like the Christmas tree, the locked mailbox, the Tarantella, Dr. Rank’s calling cards, and the letters add a delicate meaning to the characters and help convey ideas and themes throughout the play.
In this part I would like to analyse what purpose do metaphors and symbols have regarding to the theme.
Pulitzer prize finalist Sarah Ruhl is well known for her unique writing style and magical approach to realism. Through the use of extraordinary imagery and poetic language, Ruhl puts a modern spin on the traditional styles of language found in most plays. Passion Play is one of her most epic works, spanning from Elizabethan England to present day in a length of over three hours. In each of the three acts, Ruhl uses theological symbolism to connect the play with the Bible and its apocalyptic themes. With fish puppets coming onstage and the sky changing colors on numerous occasions, one might argue that her frequent use of imagery driven symbolism can be disruptive to the plot and overall meaning of the play. However, I argue that Ruhl’s use
Sherzer, Diane. "De-construction in Waiting for Godot." The Reversible World: Symbolic Inversion in Art and Society. Ed. Barbara A. Babcock. London: Cornell University, 1978. 129-146.
igurative language is the language that expresses one thing in terms of another by analogy, extension, or other association. A critical approach to drama written in verse requires the knowledge of not only of metre but also the function and purpose of the various figures of speech. These should never be only decoration because they are one of the means by which the playwright can develop and express his meaning. The various figures of speech have often been made interchangeable, thus a satisfactory definition of them is difficult to provide. There is a tendency to include symbols, similes, and metaphors making up the imagery. Metaphorical is used to mean figurative and symbolical or symbolizes is often applied to almost any of the figurative