In H. G. Wells’ novel, The War of the Worlds, when the Martians arrive they bring a red weed; it is much more than just an alien plant. Accidentally or intentionally, the red weed becomes an important part embedded in the novel. Firstly, the red weed serves as a major symbol representing the advancements of the Martian invasion through their conquest on Earth. Secondly, its rapid growth and its vivid color serve as smaller symbols that emphasize the intensity of the invasion. Lastly, amidst the many symbols shown throughout the novel, the red weed incorporates the overarching theme of destruction that ultimately brings irreversible damage to Earth. The red weed serves as a prominent symbol throughout Wells’ novel, its thick “cactus-like branches” …show more content…
They had huge fighting machines that far overpowered what humans had showing their advancements on Earth, “Later this shield staggered up on tripod legs and became the first of the fighting-machines I had seen” (60). This is the same as the red weed as it quickly dominates the Earth's ecosystem without warning. Like the red weed, the Martians march across the land relentlessly and harmfully to take over Earth. Its presence is a constant reminder of humanity’s enslavement under the Martians and the undermining power of Earth’s ecosystem. While the invasion is a major symbol of the red weed, there are smaller, yet significant symbols in the novel. The first is its “Vivid blood-red tint” that highlights the danger and intensity that it creates (142). Much like the feeling you get if you see flashing red lights in your rearview mirror, the red color symbolizes the major feeling of chaos and tension the Martians inflict on the people of Earth. The color can also represent the bloodshed that is happening with the large heat rays and destruction of houses; many people die under the …show more content…
At the same time, it can also represent the colonization of a group as they inhabit a new place. Just as a group of people inhabits a new location where the resources are rich, they can expand and take over an area, the same principle applies to red weed as it spreads across Earth. This may be because of the abundance of water on Earth compared to on Mars, “The red weed grew with astonishing vigour and luxuriance, and especially wherever there was a stream of water” (143). From the same text we can see that the red weed grows very vigorously, when things are happening fast and vigorously they can tend to be stressful and overwhelming. This is what is shown by the red weed as the Martians come to Earth with such power, the people do not have enough time to prepare anything to take them down. These are some of the smaller but important symbols in the novel. The most powerful theme in The War of the Worlds is how the red weed is symbolized through its destruction. Through all of the other symbols of the red weed, each one leads back to
The theme of the book as it relates to the American Dream is those who take advantage by becoming covetous and acquisitive. The Clutters in this book are described as the ideal American Dream family. Herb Clutter is the head man of the house who makes sure that his family and financial situations are in order. Herb started off with a struggle but eventually worked hard to become the man he became. Even though they were viewed as a rich family toward the community they did have underlying issues that weren’t visible to the outside world. Dick and Perry on the other hand are those who were unable to achieve the American Dream so they were willing to do anything to become successful the easy way even if that means stealing from others. They
In Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water, the color red symbolize race. Indians are reduced to the color red, as African Americans are black. Charlie's hatred towards the red rental car is obvious towards the beginning of the story. However, towards the end he seems almost indifferent as the car is destroyed.
For my ELA performance task I read both Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli and The Diary of Anne Frank(play) by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Milkweed is about a boy named Misha Pilsudski who lives in the ghetto on the street and has no identity including name. As time goes on he gets a name and finds a new family who welcomes him into their home. All the while he is trying to learn about his surroundings, as he is unsure whether he is a Gypsy or a Jew. He attempts to make life as happy as possible and fix things that he doesn’t realized cannot be fixed. For my performance task I have chosen to show two things that are different about these books and one thing that is similar.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls takes the reader on an adventure through the Cherokee country. The setting takes place in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri or Oklahoma during the 1920’s. Most of the story is set in the wild outdoors and in the country home of Billy Coleman. The story has an inspiring but sad tone. Wilson Rawls tells a story of a boy, his hounds, and true love.
A "hook" in literature is a compelling start to a story. Reread the first sentence of the book and discuss how these words were used to seize and then hold the reader's attention. Do you feel that it made you want to read more? Could the author have done a better job? Is there another book that did a good job with their "hook" at the beginning of the story?
For example the connotation ‘red’ is the colour of fire, danger, power, caution and malice. ‘Red’ is an emotionally intense colour and is a consistent theme that builds up like a heated fire because Peter is full of rage and wrath and he is the “red herring” because he is distracting the mum from the truth about the abuse he is causing.
The book “Milkweed” by Jerry Spinelli tells a story about a boy who survived the horrible days of World War 2. He struggles every single day to find his identity and what is happening in the world. The book “Milkweed” itself shows many signs of survival. Both literally, and figuratively. This novel describes what the Jews did to survive and how they survived. The theme of survival is represented by different objects. The author, Spinelli, uses many literary elements to describe and support the theme of survival. The main three are: setting (where and what time), symbols such as the plant Milkweed that represents a new hope, and conflicts (what is the fight/fighting in the story).
If one were to trace the color red through the book, it would be almost impossible to give it one decisive meaning- and that is the point entirely. The color red appears to symbolize not
To begin, the flowers represent the racism and prejudice that lies within the tight community of Maycomb, Alabama. One instance of the flowers being used as symbolism is when Camellias
The story line of Red Harvest is riddled with double-crossing characters, bootleggers and crooked authority figures that obviously challenge universal moral codes of conduct. More importantly, some characters remain more morally ambivalent then others. Although, this is a troupe of hardboiled detective novels from the time, and the Film Noir genre where nothing is as it seems, there are particular characters and events that stand out. The language and situations are so double sided that the reader is forced to question the weave of their own moral fabric. Dashiell Hammett through his writing style is able to reflect on the concerns many had at the time regarding rise in crime and deterioration of Victorian age morals, coincided with the rise of the detective Anti-hero, guilty woman (femme fatal) and vigilantism.
The color red is usually known for its association with passion and love, but in The Great Gatsby, by Scott Fitzgerald, red symbolizes power, in this case of the wealthy class, and also great rage. Fitzgerald uses the boldness of the color red to contrast with the dimmer whites, yellows, and grays of the novel in order to demonstrate the stains of corruption and violence within the “perfect” lives of the rich.
In conclusion, Fitzgerald uses colours to express the different themes in the novel. The colour grey in the Valley of Ashes symbolizes all of the corruption, while the colour blue represents the reality that is blinded throughout the plot, and green represents all of the jealousy and envy. In the end, the colours have a lot of important significance to the book, just as certain colours may have importance to people.
Crane's use of color allows for layers of meaning within each hue. Green, red and gray are used to describe the everyday physical objects in the text's world, and also the landscapes and metaphysical objects and ideas in Fleming's mind. Green is literally the color of the grass, but figuratively the freshness and youth of the soldiers and the purity of the natural world. Red is, overwhelmingly the color of battle, of courage and gunfire and bloodshed. Gray, however, becomes the color of human defeat. Because Crane uses each so carefully and selectively, creating for each several meanings, they take on a significance of their own; each can stand alone to have its own charged meanings.
Man has used hallucinogenic plants for thousands of years, probably since he began gathering plants for food. The hallucinogens have continued to receive the attention of civilized man through the ages. Recently, we have gone through a period during which sophisticated Western society has "discovered" hallucinogens, and some sectors of the society have taken up, for some reason or another, the use of such plants. This trend may be destined to continue.
The forest is a key part of the novel as the serving as a symbol. It symbolizes nature’s relationship with man as a place of refuge and as a place of empowerment. The forest in the book symbolizes hope, love, and truth. Utilizing the forest, Hawthorne is able to develop the literary devices: theme, mood, irony, and character.