Vladimir Nabokov throughout his novel Lolita and Sam Mendes in his film “American Beauty”, both discuss the inappropriate desires felt by their male protagonists. Despite the texts having contrasting settings and time periods, both authors present the idea of inappropriate desires through depictions of middle aged men lusting after young minor girls, whilst allude to the negative implications which are perceived with such incongruous feelings. Throughout both texts, Nabokov and Mendes employ similar literary and film techniques of descriptive language/cinematography, symbolism, characterisation, narrative voice, and tone, in order to demonstrate the extent of the inappropriate desires each of their protagonists and minor characters feel throughout. Symbolism is employed throughout the entirety of both texts in order to convey and illustrate the fervency of each of their protagonist’s inappropriate …show more content…
In order to display Humbert Humbert’s desire to be sexually involved with Dolores, the symbol of clothing is used throughout, with Humbert purchasing revealing garments which he wishes Lolita to wear. The first notable clothing symbol which Nabokov incorporates is Humbert’s purchase of a “pretty print dress…ample in the skirt, tight in the bodice”, for Dolores, allowing him to see the young girls figure and body, whilst allow Dolores to appreciate his apparent kindness, unbeknown to his real desires and intentions. This symbol allows the audience to identify that Humbert is projecting his feelings of lust for Dolores on to the particular clothes he purchases and makes her wear, whilst further demonstrates his innate need and desire to control her. Similarly, Mendes extensively applies symbolism throughout the entirety of “American Beauty” in order to depict Lester’s strong desire for Angela. The rose petals which are identified during fantasy scenes which Lester has of Angela, which symbolises the effortless beauty he identifies in her. In addition, colour symbolism is
The Novel and Film of The Grifters had many uses of symbolism, supporting the theme of sexual corruption, and the fall of the three main characters’ craft of the grift. In the novel, symbolism was tougher to pick out. However, the descriptions of the characters created symbolic visualizations of their personalities and human nature. The film had more obvious uses of symbolism through the choice of women’s clothes, the character’s actions, and their language.
Andre Dubus uses symbolism to describe the person’s confrontation with morality that he has to deal with. These men are simply hoping to end their family’s pain, suffering, and internal struggles. Moreover, Dubus uses symbolism in his story as a way of showing love, sympathy, anger and pain (Ruth 1-2).
Symbolism is used commonly in literature to reveal a deeper meaning through something indirectly. As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, symbolism is “ the art or practice of using symbols especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations” ("Symbolism."). From colors and emotions, such as red and romance, to animals, like doves and peace, symbols better a readers understanding of the text and make for an overall better story. Symbolism gives writer freedom to add double levels of meanings to his work: a literal one that is self-evident and the symbolic one whose meaning is far more profound than the literal one. The symbolism, therefore, gives universality to the characters and the themes of a piece of literature ("Literary Devices."). In the text, A Doll’s House, the author, Hendrik Ibsen, uses symbols of macaroons, the Tarantella, and money to reveal controversial topics between Nora and Torvad.
Symbolism “acts as webbing between theme and story. Themes alone can sound preachy, and stories alone can sound shallow. Symbolism weaves the two together” (Hall). Symbolism uses the story to convey the theme. Darkness is used in the novel to show the secrecy and lies that the story has. The whole story involves secrecy among two women and a man. Without symbolism the story would just have a very dark house and two very mysterious and disturbed women. Instead there is a feel of secrecy right from the beginning. Symbolism gives the story excitement, while also providing the reader with a good read. The author can read the first few pages and determine the story is not a happy
Symbolism has always been an essential part of all major literature. Whether it helps the story move rapidly or allows for greater cognizance of characters’ elaborate personalities, symbolism is an invaluable tool for authors to generate deeper interpretations of a novel. It is often a critical component of a novel’s plot structure. Symbolism is a cogent way for authors to inject meaning and emotion into their well-crafted characters. The novel Defending Jacob by William Landay meets all of these standards and enhances them greatly. Throughout the plot, this literary element is greatly emphasized through the symbol of a simple knife. This seemingly ordinary object very easily symbolizes Jacob’s murderous personality and how open he was to eliminating
“American Beauty” through images and character depiction attempts to portray and question the triteness of middle class sexual mores. One of the main ways director Sam Mendes portrays this is through symbols, especially in the seductive color red, used to represent both sexuality and youth. The characters of the film, through their dialogue and various deceptions to the outside world also pose questions about society’s expectations for sex. Mendes’ also utilizes lighting, props, sets and music as commentary on the sexuality of all of his characters, both sexual reawakening and oppression. The visual style of the film coupled with the character’s unique struggles and views make “American Beauty” a haunting look at the way our culture views gender and sex.
Symbolism and imagery are literary devices that an author uses in works of literature to better express a point to the reader than writing without them. Both of these literary devices, along with many others are used in the novel Farewell to Manzanar. In Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s Farewell to Manzanar, the literary devices symbolism and imagery express the theme ‘Injustice can occur even if the imposer means no harm to the victim.’
Symbolism plays a significant role in literature. Symbols can illustrate much deeper overarching concepts or reveal important traits in a character without explicit expression. This device may bring a character’s true motivation, views, or prejudices to light. Symbolism in “The Birthmark” and “Romero’s Shirt” gives great insight into not only character motivations, but also their protagonist’s views on life. In “The Birthmark”, Aylmer sees the crimson birthmark painted across Georgiana’s otherwise perfect face as a symbol of mortality as well as the impossibility of perfection — two things that he has struggled against in his scientific endeavors for the extent of his career.
The first example of symbolism we encounter is in the first chapter and comes in the form of dreams. When Amabelle and Sebastian open up to one another it is through their shared experiences, which are most usually, their dreams. They are able to be the most themselves when they are not in real life experiences, though it sounds like an oxymoron, the juxtapose between dreams and reality says a great deal about the characters. Dreams are essentially escapes from reality, and when Amabelle and Sebastian share their dreams with one another it serves as an escape. It becomes clear that they share the desire to escape, but escape from what exactly, their pasts, presence, or futures? This implication of escape prepares readers for the escapes made by the lovers near the end of the story. On page 2 Amabelle says of her nocturnal escapes, "It's either be in a nightmare or be nowhere at all. Or otherwise simply float inside these remembrances, grieving for who I was, and even more for what I've become." This quotation implies that that even her life has become a nightmare. Readers can infer that a good night's sleep would be Amabelle's only chance of escape. Her nightmares are destroying her life, and her life...
All through the novel there are symbols of
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."
Through vivid yet subtle symbols, the author weaves a complex web with which to showcase the narrator's oppressive upbringing. Two literary
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.
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.
With his 1955 novel Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov invents a narrator by the name of Humbert Humbert who is both an exquisite wordsmith and an obsessive pedophile. The novel serves as the canvas upon which Humbert Humbert will paint a story of love, lust, and death for the reader. His confession is beautiful and worthy of artistic appreciation, so the fact that it centers on the subject of pedophilia leaves the reader conflicted by the close of the novel. Humbert Humbert frequently identifies himself as an artist and with his confession he hopes “to fix once for all the perilous magic of nymphets” (Nabokov, Lolita 134). Immortalizing the fleeting beauty and enchanting qualities of these preteen girls is Humbert Humbert’s artistic mission