Symbolism In Short Story - 921 Words

Symbolism is a type of literary device which is used by most authors in many different literary genres, such as poems, short stories, and novels. It is the practice of using symbols to convey a more profound thought and idea to the readers, which can be displayed in various ways, such as objects, places, events, and facts. Symbols play a significant role in written works, as it helps the readers to understand the intended meanings and words that are associated with the events in the story. In the three short stories selected, symbolism is used to reveal the underlying message of the story. In this case, symbolism signifies social issues that are rampant in our society. The three short stories, â€Å"The Lesson†, â€Å"Indian Education†, and†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, there is a climactic scene in the story where Sylvia and Sugar interrupted a ceremony in the Catholic Church. Their unethical behaviour shows their unfamiliarity in a formal setting. Bambara demonstrates the significant gap between two different social classes in her story that were evident in the style of dressing, wealth, language, behaviour, and quality of education. Moving onto the next short story, Alexie’s â€Å"Indian Education† tackles social issues of racial discrimination and stereotyping, which stems from his personal experiences. As he was growing up, Victor faces discrimination from white people which made his childhood full of sorrow, fear, and misery. Victor explains how Indians are often perceived as outsiders and failures. Victor lives in a community where there is a gap between people from different cultures. Alexie uses different symbols to emphasize racial discrimination. Cutting one’s hair is one of these symbols which expresses Native Indian’s culture and identity. Victor states â€Å"She sent a letter home with me that told my parents to either cut my 14 braids or keep me home from class† (Alexie 321). The ultimatum Victor received affirms the boundaries that were set in place. It’s either Victor succumbs to their will or defend his culture. Many Native Americans perceive their hair as a memento of their identity and culture. Moreover, he was tormented by his peers verbally andShow MoreRelatedSymbolism in the Short Story Everyday Use Essay578 Words   |  3 Pagesof Walkers best short stories titled Everyday Use, tells the story of a mother and her two daughters conflicting ideas about their heritage. The mother narrates the story of the visit by her daughter, Dee. She is an educated woman who now lives in the city, visiting from college. She starts a conflict with the other daughter, Maggie over the possession of the heirloom quilts. Maggie still lives the lifestyle of her ancestors; she deserves the right of the quilts. This story explores heritageRead MoreGreat Theme of Symbolism in the Short Story, The Lottery, by by Shirley Jackson1033 Words   |  4 Pagescome in small packages, and short stories are a great example of that. Short stories, although not as lengthy as other forms of literature, still create a huge impact in a limited amount of time. The goa l of most short stories is to convey a message or moral, but like any form of literature, some short stories are better than others. Out of all the short fictions read in the Grade 11 English curriculum, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is by far the most important story read because of the theme, theRead MoreThe Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas Literary Analysis1697 Words   |  7 PagesIn the short stories â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas† by Ursula Le Guin and â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift, the authors use literary criticism so the reader can dissect the many different literary elements such as symbolism and vivid ironic imagery that help explain the parallel theme going on in both stories. To achieve a world with peace throughout and reach a state of utopia some moral and ethical decay will take place. Both stories have social issues that test the citizens moral andRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson And A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner960 Words   |  4 PagesUse of Symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner The use of symbolism is used in literature to enhance writing and add meaning to a story, this is evident in the two short stories â€Å"The Lottery† written by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† written by William Faulkner. With the authors use of symbolism Jackson and Faulkner are able to add depth to their writing in a way that connects with the readers. By adding symbolism to the short stories the authorsRead MoreEssay about Comp and Lit Comparison of Blue+Yellow/Story of an Hour1296 Words   |  6 Pagesthe short story â€Å"the Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin and the short story â€Å"blue + yellow† by Chris Killen compare in many ways. These two stories use the same literary device strongly such as imagery. Imagery is a literary device in which the author uses words and phrases to paint a picture in the readers head throughout the story. These two short stories are written with very descriptive language to help paint a picture of the o ccurrences in the story and describe a scene. These two stories alsoRead MoreThe Impacts of Symbolism in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner728 Words   |  3 PagesRegardless of the length of a story, an author can make their writing more interesting by using symbolism. Using symbolism can help the author give detail, depth, and meaning to their work. By giving the reader a mental picture of an object or idea, it is easier for the reader to connect and comprehend what the author is trying to say. The use of symbolism can also hint the reader of something that will happen in the future. Faulkners use of symbolism in A Rose for Emily defines and gives a betterRead More Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants Essay1049 Words   |  5 Pages is a short story published in 1927 that takes place in a train station in Spain with a man and a woman discussing an operation. Most of the story is simply dialogue between the two characters, the American and Jig. This couple is at a critical p oint in their lives when they must decide whether or not to have an abortion. Certain themes arise from this story such as choices and consequences, doubt and ambiguity, and how men and women relate. Hemingway also uses many examples of symbolism in â€Å"HillsRead More`` Hills Like White Elephants `` By Ernest Hemingway899 Words   |  4 PagesIn his short story Hills like White Elephants, Ernest Hemingway uses symbolism and landscape subtly but effectively to emphasize the tension between the main characters. The reader is asked to extrapolate much of the information in an indirect fashion. The reader must look into the symbolism and imagery used alongside the words the characters share and don’t share. The natural landscape covers almost the entire story, offering vivid images that contain a large amount of interpretive insight intoRead MoreThemes Of Eleven By Sandra Cisneros And On Turning Ten997 Words   |  4 PagesComparing and Contrasting In the short stories Eleven by Sandra Cisneros and On Turning Ten by Billy Collins both authors use multiple literary devices to achieve the theme of aging. In Eleven Sandra Cisneros uses figurative language, symbolism and mood to create the theme of aging. While in On Turning Ten the author uses word choice, figurative language and mood. The two of these authors use these literary devices to add to the theme but in different ways. These short stories both compare and contrastRead MoreBarn Burning by William Faulkner1028 Words   |  5 Pagesfamous works being short stories. Two of his most popular short stories are â€Å"A rose for Emily† along with â€Å"Barn Burning†. Faulkner has many other popular works, but â€Å"Barn Burning† was one of his well-known stories because of the many different of elements of literature in which Faulkner chose to include. Faulkner was known as a writer who could properly convey many different elements of literature, such as sy mbolism, conflict, tone, and many other elements of plot within his stories. In â€Å"Barn Burning†