Symbolic Meaning Essays

  • The Symbolic Meaning of the Radio in The Enormous Radio

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Symbolic Meaning of the Radio in The Enormous Radio Many authors use the personification of inanimate objects to symbolize the feelings and expressions of their characters. One example of this is in John Cheever’s short story, "The Enormous Radio." Although critics argue that the characteristics of the radio are the opposite of those of Jim and Irene Westcott, the radio actually reflects the couple’s life. Even though in the beginning of the story the Westcotts’ old radio is outdated

  • Symbolic Meaning of Edna’s Arms and Teeth in Chopin’s The Awakening

    614 Words  | 2 Pages

    Symbolic Meaning of Edna’s Arms and Teeth in Chopin’s The Awakening Although characters’ personalities are described vividly in The Awakening through action, dialogue, and descriptions of clothing, little is presented of the characters physically. While Edna is alone in Madame Antoine’s house, resting, two moments occur in which specific aspects of her body are highlighted. Prior to this scene, it is known only that she is considered pretty and that her hair and eyes are a similar yellow-brown

  • The Symbolic Meaning Behind the Black Procession in O'Conner's A Late Encounter with the Enemy

    2222 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Symbolic Meaning Behind the Black Procession in O'Conner's A Late Encounter with the Enemy Czechoslovakian philosopher and political mind Vaclav Havel, in his discourse The Power of the Powerless, talks about the danger of "living within a lie" (84). He argues that individuals who refuse to develop a strong sense of self and instead "merge with the anonymous crowd and flow comfortably along with it down the river of pseudo-life" (38) inevitably experience a "profound crisis of human identity"

  • An Analysis of Coleridge's Kubla Kahn

    909 Words  | 2 Pages

    to realize that the poem has a complex symbolic pattern, as well. My own analysis may seem to be paltry when faced with the fact that there have been thousands of criticisms of this poem published, some comprising entire volumes. But the very quantity of criticism may serve as an argument that any interpretation of the poem is really an investigation of the writer of the criticism. That is to say, the poem has no outward meaning, or at least that the meaning put in by the author is of secondary importance

  • Concealment and Disguises in Homer's Odyssey

    2752 Words  | 6 Pages

    Homer's Odyssey Did you know, that although caves, and disguises play a small literal role in The Odyssey, are major symbols, and sometimes even considered archetypes? Sometimes when quickly reading through a book, one does not pick up on the symbolic interpretation of many images created throughout the book. A man named Homer wrote The Odyssey around 800 B.C. The story was a Greek epic poem, illustrating the struggle of Odysseys, the hero, to return home. He had gone to a war in Troy, leaving

  • Lord Of The Flies - Symbolism

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the book, Lord of the Flies, the author frequently uses symbolism. Symbolism-n 1: the art or practice of using symbols esp. by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations. In other words, discussing or explaining a broader, more general topic by linking it symbolically with a specific event in a literary work. The superb use of symbolism in the book is one of the contributing factors to the profoundness of

  • The Formalistic Approach to Hay's Rapunzel

    834 Words  | 2 Pages

    (or Testament). In the fifth li... ... middle of paper ... ...ed by love, now has become the knowing one: " I knew...I knew...I might have known." Looking at the last line of the sonnet we understand its purpose. Here, we see the image of many symbolic Rapunzels. The heroine is looking at the past and at the future, and realizes that her life is just one small piece, compared to the Eternal concept, or a concept of All. She realizes that the earthly life is not eternal and she is just a suffering

  • Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    Charles Bovary. Madame Bovary is the story of Emma Bovary, but within the scope of symbolic meaning, the make-up of Charles is addressed. It is representative of deep sadness and a despondent outlook on life whose many symbols are, at times, as deeply embedded in the story line as a thorn in a callous heel. The elements making up the very person of Charles Bovary remain excruciatingly evident, haunting his every move. Symbolic of his yearning for inner fulfillment, Charles Bovary presents to be a man in

  • Cultural Shock in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard

    2261 Words  | 5 Pages

    basic concept of the play. The second part is culture in change that explains historical background of modern Russia. Third by a contrasting method, the main idea of this part is an illustration of conflict. And, in the fourth section, explaining symbolic meaning of The Cherry Orchard is an approach to highlight the conflict. Finally, the prospective development of different groups of characters is another contrast that echoes their attitudes in the beginning. In The Cherry Orchard, the dramatic

  • The Meaning of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Meaning of Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness has a symbolic meaning behind its title like many other great works of literature. The title can actually be interpreted in many different ways. One way the title can be looked at is that it portrays how Conrad viewed the continent of Africa. It might also represent entering into a more primitive society, witnessing humans transforming from civilized to savage. Perhaps the Heart of Darkness refers to the colonialism and imperialism

  • Significance of the Number 3 in Fairy Tales

    2507 Words  | 6 Pages

    is not the number itself. A number is just understood. Nevertheless, numbers hold symbolic meaning. Have you ever asked yourself serious questions about the significance, implications, and roles of numbers? For example, “Why does the number ten denote a change to double digits?” “Is zero a number or a non-number?” Or, the matter this paper will address: “Why does the number three hold an understood and symbolic importance?” My interest in this topic began by observing the common usage of the

  • Swords

    734 Words  | 2 Pages

    swords tend to weigh less than most people think. The pommels of many swords are thicker than they appear in most drawings and illustrations; they are heavy in order to counter the blade. Over time the sword came to possess a very strong symbolic meaning, different virtues were assigned to the two edges of the sword. "The two edges of the sword show that the knight serves both God and the people, and its point shows that all people must obey him." (Barber 36) The cross or quillion (a popular

  • Myth Of The American Frontier

    1054 Words  | 3 Pages

    Perhaps the most significant myth in American culture is that of the American frontier. Its symbolic meaning created such moral, ethical, and emotional values in American that it paved the way for a country that would grow from an East Coast settlement, to a coast-to-coast nation of progress. One of the most famous stories in frontier mythology is that of Paul Bunyan. Although Bunyan’s stories didn’t appear on paper until the early twentieth century, his stories were passed down by word of mouth

  • Flag Burning: The Debate Continues

    2577 Words  | 6 Pages

    "The freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much" (qtd. in Jacoby el al. 20). This concept can be applied in the debate on whether to amend the Constitution to ban flag burning. When one considers the Constitution and the symbolic meaning of the United States flag, he or she can see that this is one issue that does mean a great deal to the American public. The freedom to differ is of extreme importance in this case, which can be seen as one reviews the reasoning for committing

  • The Swastika in MAUS

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    events are presented may be somewhat unfamiliar, the novel is still a narrative of the Holocaust. The swastika, it has been pointed out, has always been a powerful symbol. Before Hitler's time, it was used across the world, often with the symbolic meaning of the sun, power, life force, or other superlatives - especially as a symbol for the Buddha. The Nazis co-opted this symbol only after much deliberation, and perhaps the Nazi regime never could have come into existence without the use of ideograms

  • The Mathematical Connections in the De Stijl movement

    1987 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Mathematical Connections in the De Stijl movement De Stijl or “The Style” is a movement that originated in Holland with the first publication of the periodical De Stijl in 1917. The works produced took art to a whole new level, pushing creativity to the new modern era. The emergence of the De Stijl movement coincided with constructivism in Russia, with influences from Cubism and the artist Kadinsky. However, the movement was not confined to just one art form. Similar to the Blue Rider

  • Romeo and Juliet: Interpretation of Play and Movie

    2472 Words  | 5 Pages

    interpretation of the story by the mise-en-scene, costuming, and the hidden symbolic meaning. This great piece of literature was edited in two unique and intriguing forms, one Zeferelli directed which was filmed in 1968, and the modern version produced in 1996. The different scenes throughout the length of the party were the most influential to me in that I saw how different these movies were directed, and the different meaning I experienced from watching these movies. Focusing on the environment of

  • The Great Gatsby Essay: The Great Gatsby is Not So Great

    505 Words  | 2 Pages

    exaggerated, not so much in actions, but in the much praised language of the novel. Fitzgerald's book at first overwhelms the reader with poetic descriptions of human feelings, of landscapes, buildings and colors. Everything seems to have a symbolic meaning, but it seems to be so strong that no one really tries to look what's happening behind those beautiful words. If you dig deeper you will discover that hidden beneath those near-lyrics are blatancies, at best. In Nick's "perceptions" of the

  • Body Language: Cultural or Universal?

    1712 Words  | 4 Pages

    Body language and various other nonverbal cues have long been recognized as being of great importance to the facilitation of communication. There has been a long running debate as to whether body language signals and their meanings are culturally determined or whether such cues are innate and thus universal. The nature versus nurture dichotomy inherent in this debate is false; one does not preclude the other’s influence. Rather researchers should seek to address the question how much of nonverbal

  • Allegory of Faith by Johannes Vermeer

    1667 Words  | 4 Pages

    by Johannes Vermeer The painting, Allegory of Faith, located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was created by the Dutch Baroque painter Johannes Vermeer. This study of the painting will focus on the subject matter, composition, and the symbolic meaning of the painting in relation to the Catholic faith, as well as the controversy surrounding the success of the painting among modern critics. The characteristic Baroque qualities of this painting will be illuminated through comparison with examples