In this story, we follow the life of a young boy finding his place growing up with his family, and finding out where he fits in. Not only with his family, but in society as well. We learn all of this in the story To Everything There Is A Season written by Alistair Macleod. Throughout this story, the Narrator/Protagonist guides us through a time when he was 11 years old and shows us his journey from innocence to understanding. The protagonist is shown realizing that he is growing up and cant get younger which is shown through the text by using strong and figurative language, symbolism, and imagery. Throughout my essay, I will describe each and every one of these points to you and show you how the protagonist grows up, starting with the figurative and descriptive language. Language is always a key part of any story, either using appropriate language to suit an audience or using figurative language to deepen the plot of a …show more content…
In this story, the protagonist/narrator uses Santa Claus as a way to symbolize growing up. As said on page 305 “The ones for my younger brothers say “from Santa Claus” but mine are not among them any more, as I know with certainty they will never be again. Yet I am not so much surprised as touched by a pang of loss at being here on the adult side of the world. It is as if I have suddenly moved into another room and heard the door click behind me. I am jabbed by my own small wound.” Although there is only one mention of Santa Claus in this quote, you can see how the author relates the realization of Santa Claus to the realization of growing up. As it says “Will never be again” is a relation between Santa and how you can never believe in him again after you learn the truth, to the realization that once you grow up there is never getting younger and you never
some people it is the small events like death that can trigger or push them to change their perspective on life. Doris Lessing, Sandra Birdsell and Alistair Macleod use symbolism to signify that the pathway from innocence to experience involves an encounter with death in the stories “A Sunrise on the Veld”, “Stones” and “To Everything There Is a Season”. Doris Lessing integrates symbolism to portray that death allows one to lose its innocence, like in “A Sunrise on the Veld” when
opposition to change as key elements of the plot. Alistair Macleod’s “The Boat” is a tale of sacrifice, and of silent struggle. A parent’s sacrifice not only of their hopes and dreams, but of their life. The struggle of a marriage which sees two polar opposites raising a family during an era of reimagining. A husband embodying change and hope, while making great sacrifice; a wife gripped in fear of the unknown and battling with the idea of losing everything she has ever had. The passage cited above strongly