The Poisonwood Bible Symbolism Essay

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The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities is often used in literary works to deepen the meaning and give the novel more of a backstory and emotion. Symbolism plays a very vital role in Things Fall Apart and The Poisonwood Bible as it gives the reader a deeper context to look into which in return adds more understanding to these works. From the symbol of fire in Things Fall Apart to the symbol of Methuselah in The Poisonwood Bible, we will take a deeper look into these symbols and understand why the author chose to incorporate them and how they affect the story.
One major symbol in Things Fall Apart is fire. As one already knows, fire is compelling and can easily do harm but it can just as easily be put out. This is why I believe the author used this symbol for Okonkwo because he is a big fearful character who also has his flaws. In the novel, he is often referred to as “Roaring flame”. …show more content…

Yams are the main crop grown in Umuofia and are known for their importance in society. Only men are allowed to grow yams as they are labor intensive and are considered a man's crop. The entire year revolves around planting and harvesting yams and the amount of yams a man can produce determines his wealth and place in society. Okonkwo knows the significance of yams as his father left him nothing so he must fend for himself and earn his pride. Yams symbolize masculinity as only men can plant them and they symbolize one's ability as a provider for his family. “Sharecropping was a very slow way of building up a barn of one’s own. After all the toil one only got a third of the harvest. But for a young man whose father had no yams, there was no other way. And what made it worse in Okonkwo’s case was that he had to support his mother and two sisters from his meager harvest.” (Achebe 15). This states that the importance of one’s harvest determines if his family is going to eat or not, which in turn in essential for

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