Coming Home – Richard McRoberts (pg.34-35)
1. How is suspense built up in this story?
Suspense was evoked through the deliberate utilisation of short, sharp sentences to create momentum and tension. This was evident since the commencement of the story, “Mary Irwin was coming home… It was a cold, dismal night. Mary was tired.” Furthermore, the author successfully aroused a sense of curiosity and concern within the reader through the explicitly vivid description of Mary’s fear and agitation towards the mysterious man. One prominent example of this was, “Mary screamed and fell inside the door. Panting like an animal, she cast around for something to defend herself with. Nothing. He was in the door, coming after her. She was as good as dead. It
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One significant example was when Mary contemplated on her recent encounter and attempted to scrutinise the true identity of the anonymous man. “She lay down on the sofa, and wondered who was this stranger who seemed intent on invading her private world: a rapist, a robber, some insane person who preyed on lonely women in ways she could not begin to think of?”
Moreover, uncompleted sentences and consequential statements recounting what has occurred stimulated the imagination and enabled readers to ponder about the consequences or associated feelings as an alternative to specifically expressing them and restricting the readers’ creativity or artistic visual representations. Nevertheless, foreshadowing also contributed to the inducement of suspense through the unrevealed information and gradual elucidation of clues.
2. What motifs and symbols are found in this story? Discuss how they were
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This may also indicate how time continues to progress despite the unhealed psychological wounds.
Repetition of the motif “shadowy darkness” was to apprise readers of upcoming imperilment and emphasise the prominence of Mary’s vulnerability and her meagreness of security as she was solitary at night-time whilst characterising her as a potential victim.
Furthermore, the concept of ‘coming home’ was explored throughout this story and is a central, dominating theme. This was evident through the title and constant reiteration of this phrase. Several examples include, “Mary Irwin was coming home… A couple of minutes and she would be home… Mary had come home… Life had returned to her. He had come home.” Regardless of the implementation of identical words, some of these refer to being physically at home in a fortifying and congenial atmosphere, whereas others depict the eventual and anticipated return of a long-lost son.
3. In addition to motifs and symbols, choose four language techniques used in ‘Coming Home’ and discuss their use by the
Tim O’Brien employs the elements Symbolism, Theme, and Author’s Style in his book The Things They Carried.
A pattern of repeated words or phrases can have a significant impact in conveying a particular impression about a character or situation, or the theme of a story. In the story "The Storm," by Kate Chopin, and "The Chrysanthemums," by John Steinbeck, imagery is an integral element in the development of the characters and situation, as well as the development of theme.
In Bless the Beasts and the Children, symbols and motifs help progress the story and develop the theme that ?when faced with a certain situation, boys will do great things?. The boys can use symbols and motifs to help them get through obstacles without giving up and acheive their goal. The boys also give up symbols and motifs they used for comfort or stability that they no longer need because of their independence and maturity.
What the author is doing is letting the reader foreshadow. A technique which creates suspense, a vital element in any action story. The author then explained what was being hinted at;
“Even in the dark I could see that it was dying, and doing it alone in the middle of all these un-concerned pines. That was the absolute way of things. Loss takes up inside of everything sooner or later and eats right through it,” (Kidd 55). This is eerie for someone who only just dodges supplementary prison time, but deciphers Lily’s logic of how life worked. A lone pine provokes speculation most did not mull over until they are older. While disaster overwhelms others, guilt consumes Lily. “I was speculating how one day, years from now, I would send the store a dollar in an envelope to cover it, spelling out how much guilt had dominated every moment of my life, when I found myself looking at a picture of the black Mary,” (Kidd 63). Lily at no instant in the novel indicates mailing the envelope or the assumed regret she would posses when she regards the Black Mary. This affair does not suggest years from now she would not send the dollar. This exposes that while she may execute seldom vile things, she would try to rectify them. Lily’s emotions also fluster after perceiving the statue of the Black Mary. “I didn’t know what to think, but what I felt was magnetic and so big it ached like the moon had entered my chest and filled it up….Standing there, I loved myself and I hated myself. That’s what the black Mary did to me, made me feel my glory and shame at the same time,” (Kidd 70-71). Lily is skeptical of how to react in the presence of the Black Mary which proves she still has yet to unravel her sincere feelings towards the Black Mary. Lily interrogates the rift between blacks and whites, this time Tiburon. “Staying in a black house with black woman….it was not something I was against….I thought they could be smart, but not as smart as me, me being white,” (Kidd 78). Lily is taken aback when August is so refine considering everything she determined about black women
Written in 1818, the latter stages of the Gothic literature movement, at face value this novel embodies all the key characteristics of the Gothic genre. It features the supernatural, ghosts and an atmosphere of horror and mystery. However a closer reading of the novel presents a multifaceted tale that explores
“I slept… but I was disturbed by the wildest dreams. I thought I saw Elizabeth…. as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death…and I thought that I held the corpse of my dead mother in my arms…and I saw the grave-worms crawling in the folds of the flannel” (43).
One example of the symbolism in “Legend” is the rifle grease on Thomas’s forehead, The rifle grease on his forehead represents that he tainted with metias death. This example reveals Thomas’s lies and Treachery Another example of the Symbolism in “Legend” is Day’s Pendant necklace. Day’s pendant necklace represent truth. This example reveals the truth behind Day’s identity to June. These examples show of symbolism reveal the themes of Family and
serve to allow the reader to perceive not only the story presented in front of them but
“It was a large, beautiful room, rich and picturesque in the soft, dim light which the maid had turned low. She went and stood at an open window and looked out upon the deep tangle of the garden below. All the mystery and witchery of the night seemed to have gathered there amid the perfumes and the dusky and tortuous outlines of flowers and foliage. She was seeking herself and finding herself in just such sweet half-darkness which met her moods. But the voices were not soothing that came to her from the darkness and the sky above and the stars. They jeered and sounded mourning notes without promise, devoid even of hope. She turned back into the room and began to walk to and fro, down its whole length, without stopping, without resting. She carried in her hands a thin handkerchief, which she tore into ribbons, rolled into a ball, and flung from her. Once she stopped, and taking off her wedding ring, flung it upon the carpet. When she saw it lying there she stamped her heel upon it, striving to crush it. But her small boot heel did not make an indenture, not a mark upon the glittering circlet.
James Baldwin did a great job of including many themes, symbols, and motifs throughout the story. The themes symbols and motifs are what keeps you interested as a reader and makes you think even further because there is always a little more to what James Baldwin has said. There are many hidden messages throughout the story which requires you to be paying attention the entire time.
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.
In this essay, I have compared the different types of language choices and how they conveyed their two similar plots but extremely different respective themes.
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.
Effectively using these elements in a piece of literature enhances the reader’s curiosity. One prime example of such usage of these elements is seen in Kate Chopin's writing. Her use of foreshadowing and use of emotional conflicts put into few words in the short piece "The Storm" adds an element that is alluring, holding the reader's interest. In this short piece of literature, a father and son, Bobinot and Bibi, are forced to remain in a store where they were shopping before the storm, waiting for the storm to pass over them. In the meantime, the wife and mother, Calixta, whom is still at home, receives an unexpected visit from a former lover named Alicee. The two have an affair and the story starts to come together. The story shows us how we tend to want what we beli...