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The use of symbolism in the novel
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Margaret Laurence is one of Canada’s most critically acclaimed writers. She wrote short stories, as well as novels. Her best known novel is, without a doubt, The Stone Angel. This novel has many symbolic references, physical items showing emotions. The stone angel, the flowers and the pins are only a sample of the important symbols in the novel.
The first and most important symbol is that of the stone angel. It’s a memorial statue for Hagar’s mother. The statue is a legacy of the Currie family pride and the relationship between Hagar and her father. From the very start of the novel, the angel is a constant reminder of Hagar’s pride and bond with her father. Their relationship was unsteady and in the end non-existent because their separate prides didn’t work well together. Ironically, the stone angel is knocked on its side and is damaged. This serves as a reminder that life it represents is tragic. While Hagar is in her final days, she sees the stone angel as a sign of how she lived her life standing tall and strong hasn’t done much for her. Like her pride, the stone angel is almos...
One symbol appears throughout chapter three, the turtle. It is a symbol for the migrants and how some people will go out of their way to knock them down, “the driver saw the turtle and swerved to hit it” simply because they want to, they want to feel like they are powerful (Steinbeck 22). However, some of the people go out of their way to avoid hurting the migrants, “she saw the turtle and swung to the right, off the highway, the wheels screamed and a cloud of dust boiled up” because they know that it would be immoral to hurt something, although they have more power (Steinbeck 22). Another example of a symbol is Rose of Sharon’s pregnancy, it holds new life for the family, except when the baby is born it is “a blue shriveled little mummy” that “‘Never breathed’ said Mrs. Wainwright softly. ‘Never was alive.’” symbolizing how the Joads never really had a chance (Steinbeck 603). They believe in their hearts that they persevere throughout their trials, but in the end they realized their certain doom as soon as they left for California, maybe even
One example of symbolism is the main antagonist Kaine. Kaine possibly could symbolize suffering, sacrifices, loss, and most important, determination. While trying to find Kaine, Michael suffers along the way while overcoming the obstacles set in his path. In the end of the book, Michael actually is left on his own after both of his companions die. He then uses determination and drive to find Kaine and fight him. This proves that Kaine could symbolize sacrifice, suffering, loss, and determination because of the loss of Michael’s friends, the suffering at the hands of Kaine, and the determination Michael uses to find him. Another way James Dashner uses Kaine as a symbol is by his name. In fact, Kaine actually means ‘Tribute’. James Dashner could have taken advantage of this name to hint at the sacrifices the main character Michael would have to make and the determination he would have to show in order to defeat Kaine. To elaborate on the idea of symbolism, another symbol could be the Path. The Path is what Michael, Bryson, and Sarah were told to find to help them find Kaine. Michael and his friends faced a series of many arduous obstacles and challenges they had to pass in order to get through the Path. Even when Michael looses his two loyal best friends, he kept on going in order to reach Kaine. This means that the Path could symbolize assiduousness and
The third symbol is Bobby spray painting the wall. Bobby paints a self-portrait of a “Pale Ghost Boy” referring to himself and he is also holding a faceless baby in a carrier. The faceless baby could represent feather lack of identity because he’s new to the world. And Bobby painting himself as “pale” and “ghostly” because he could be scared and could feel like no one supported him. This symbol is important because it shows how he isn’t fully mature because he is spray painting but it shows how lonely he feels being a single parent taking care of Feather.
Another prevalent symbol to me is the idea of sin. In The Ministers Black Veil Hooper just suddenly one day shows up to church wearing a veil. At first the people are sort of angered by it. People soon start to flock to his congregation to view the spectacle, and go so far as to test their '"'courage'"' by seeing who will go and talk to him. I think that the veil could represent sin. In The Ministers Black Veil Hooper was either trying to hide his sin from the people so that they could not judge him, which is god"'"s job, or maybe he was trying to protecting his self from the sins of the people. In the end of The Ministers Black Veil Hooper dies, and sees his congregation all wearing black veils, which would probably hint that maybe it represented the sin in all of us. In The Birthmark Georgiana"'"s birthmark could represent, as some religions believe, the original sin which is bestowed on all by the '"'hand'"' of god. But, unlike Hooper, Georgiana could not help her markings.
All of these symbols show how love can occur in many people and in the most random of places. Lily often feels guilty for accidentally killing her mom when she was little, but with Lily and Rosaleen ran away to Tiburon to find a new loving family, the Boatwrights. Lily is able to forgive herself and start a new life that she is able to disregard her past. Lily has finally found a family that cares about her and won’t let anyone hurt her
The feeling of having been betrayed by a trusted or important figure in your life can result in emotional damage, which can eventually lead to personal destruction. “Stone Angel” by Margaret Lawrence and “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller, are two works of literature that put that very statement into context. Although, the theme of betrayal is evident in both pieces, the protagonists of the different plots – Hagar Shipley and Willy Loman – experience betrayal in two very different fashions. Hagar Shipley is destroyed by her loss of independence and Willy Loman is forced into taking drastic and unnecessary actions. Acts of betrayal are scattered throughout the lives of the two protagonists. Betrayal put them off the path of life on which they originally began, and drops them on a path of destruction, which in time leads to their premature end.
Cao Xueqin’s Story of the Stone is a classic in Chinese literature, showcasing the life and exploits of the wealthy Jia clan during the feudal era. Through Cao’s depiction, the reader is afforded a glimpse into the customs and lifestyle of the time. Chinese mode of thought is depicted as it occurred in daily life, with the coexisting beliefs of Confucianism and Taoism. While the positive aspects of both ideologies are presented, Cao ultimately depicts Taoism as the paramount, essential system of belief that guides the character Bao-yu to his eventual enlightenment.
One symbol in the novel is Hester. A symbol is a person or thing that indirectly represents an object or idea. Hester symbolizes strength. By remaining in Boston, she accepts her punishment. This shows great strength because she could have easily left Boston in search of a new life, one in which no one knew her. Instead, Hester continues her life in Boston, serving as a mid-wife and sewing for the same people who had condemned her. This shows strength by her acceptance of her fate and her willingness to persevere in this community - the place of her sin. Hester faces torment and social isolation daily. She must live alone and have no adult communication. The townspeople are afraid to talk to her and refuse to include her. This solitary confinement is tormenting because all human beings need interaction with other human beings. Yet, because of her inner strength, she accepts it and goes on with her life. A second example of her strength is her refusal to reveal the identity of Pearl's father; she chooses to endure her punishment alone. This shows her strength because she must bear the burden for two people. Having to be punished and watching some...
Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Cave’ rotates around the notion of our vision as humans being limited, and only being exposed to a certain extent of knowledge within our surroundings. The Allegory of the Cave presented a rare case where prisoners were trapped in a cave for all their lives with hands, neck and feet bound to look at a wall with shadows beings casted by a fire that lies behind them. Once a prisoner breaks free of the binds, his curiosity allows him to follow the light that then exposes him to the real world where he is blinded by the sun. Each of the elements in the allegory are symbols that can be related to modern day situations as metaphors. Though society has evolved drastically, many struggles that we face today resemble the allegory.
The symbols aren’t just inanimate objects but characters also. For example; Piggy an overweight asthmatic kid who cannot see without his glasses, represents mental strength and physical weakness. With his keen mental strength Piggy tries to enforce a governmental system. “What’s better--- To have rules and agreeing or to hunt and kill?” (164) Piggy tries one last time to knock some sense into the unruly boy’s right before Roger murders him. Piggy is a rational boy who tries to think about the way that adults would handle this situation. Piggy is the outsider of the group, and many o...
Dinaw Mengestu’s novel The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears is a story about an immigrant from Ethiopia named Sepha Stephanos that discovers the freedoms he travels to the United States for are not easily accessible and that sometimes you can lose yourself trying to figure out who you are. The passage that most clearly represents this notion comes as Stephanos is reflecting at the end of the novel, he says: “What was it my father used to say? A bird stuck between two branches gets bitten on both wings. I would like to add my own saying to the list now, Father: a man stuck between two worlds lives and dies alone. I have dangled and been suspended long enough” (Mengestu, 228). This paper will examine the metaphor of the two worlds Stephanos
My theme of my visual essay is the Dome of the Rock and the controversy that surrounds it. The images for my visual essay are arranged in the order through which I plan to write my final research paper. The Dome of the rock is a 7th century building located in Jerusalem at the visual center of a platform known as the Temple Mount (which is illustrated in the first image). The name of the original sponsor of the building was Umayyad caliph ‘Abd al-Malik in 691 C.E. (Grabar, The Dome of the Rock 62). The second image is intended to aid in the visualization of the Dome of the Rock, not as a mosque, but rather an Islamic shrine that was built over a sacred site. However, exactly which sacred site it is, is still up for debate. Three different religious traditions have significance associated with this site. I am curious to examine how the significance of the Dome of the Rock for each religious tradition effects how it is portrayed in religious art.
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
Ward, Susan. "Morag Gunn in Fictional Context: The Career Woman Theme in The Diviners." New Perspectives on Margaret Laurence: Poetic Narrative, Multiculturalism, and Feminism. Ed. Greta M. K. McCormick Coger. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1996. 179-184.
In “The Stone Angel” by Margaret Laurence Hagar is her own tragic hero. Hagar Shipley unfulfilled life is the result of her tragic flaws. Hagar flaws are that she is filled with pride that overcomes her in a negative way that impacts her relationships. Also, that she is very stubborn and will never show her true emotions, which leaves her life with many missed opportunities. As well as, her insensitivity toward everyone that has come and gone in her life and never willing to change for anything or anyone. Through out the whole novel Hagar most represents the stone angel.