Well done guys! I'm very happy with the response for topic one. There are a lot of well-expressed comments which I am very glad to read.
Now we will go to Topic Two. Please respond using the experience you have had so far reading literary texts.
Question:
Symbolism is sometimes central in a story. It can appear in the title of the story, or in a form of an object in the story, or through names of characters. Settings can be symbolic too. In NOT LESS than 50 words, share with us your experience with the use of symbols in anything at all that you have read. Can the story do without the use of that particular symbol?
Please have your response written in the comment box BY Sunday the 6th of September 2009.
I look forward to reading your responses.
Good luck!
Dzeelfa
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The stories which I have read that uses symbols are "Young Goodmen Brown", "The Storm", "Hills Like White Elephant" and "A Rose for Emily". However, the story that I am fond of is "The storm" as the title itself is already a symbol. In this story, the storm symbolises something that happens suddenly and ends very fast just like the affair of Alcee and Calixta had, which sparks the relationship they once had. Their intimate moments ends just as the storm stops. Therefore, the storm is a very important symbol in this story as without the storm, readers might not be able to get the main idea of the story. As in this story, after the storm ends, everything is back to normal where Alcee leaves and Calixta is very happy with her life with her husband, Bobinot and son, Bibi. The affair that Calixta and Alcee had, remains a secret and both of them go on with their own lives.
ReplyDeleteLow Wye Lyng
149807
Bac.Edu (TESL)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFrom my opinion, the short story, "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson used many symbols throughout the whole story line. In this story, the villagers held a lottery once a year to pick a victim among the villagers to be stoned to death as a sacrifice to the God to ensure that their crops will be well harvested. They will pick the lottery from a black box. The black box itself is a symbol. Although it is old and shabby, the villagers refused to change or replace it, just as they are unwillingly to stop the practice of the lottery. Moreover, the name of the characters in the story can symbolize something as well. For example, "Mr. Graves" represents tragedy or death, "Old Man Warner" represents the warning to the villagers to continue with the practice and last but not least, "Mr. Summers" represents joviality. The story itself will not be complete if the symbols are not fused in this story as the symbols made the story to be more exciting. The readers will have to figure out the meaning lying in each symbol in the story so that they will read the whole story in their own understanding and context.
ReplyDeleteSAW HUA JI
150187
B.ED TESL COHORT 5
Tan Yen Ying 147944
ReplyDeleteThe short story,"Hills Like White Elephant" has used various symbols throughout the story. The title itself has revealed the significant theme of the story which is the gender differences in attitudes towards life. For instance, Jig's admiration for the hills symbolizes that she thinks her unborn child is something special and beautiful likes the white elephant while the American thinks the other way round. Moreover, the colour white is also symbolizing the innocence and the purity of the baby. Besides that, the setting is at a train station that connotes the choice that has to be made by the couple. Just like the train they are waiting for, once the decision is made, there is no turning back. In short, the author has successfully used the appropriate symbols to highlight the themes as well as the main idea of the story. Without all these symbols that add spice to the story, "Hills Like White Elephant" may not become a classic.
Narinder Kaur 150152
ReplyDeleteI would like to share with you the use of symbol in the short story ' A Clean Well Lighted Place". The symbol of this short story is represented by the setting of this story which is the cafe. The cafe is clean, well lighted and described as a pleasant cafe. This shows that there is no noise, no music only calmness and peacefulness in that setting.
However, the old man in this story is sitting at the dark corner where the shadow falls. The setting here is trying to symbolise the old and young lifestyle. The lighted area is showing the young life and the excitement of it while the shadowed area shows the life of the old ones which is surrounded by loneliness and boredom.
In my opinion, the story will never do without this particular symbol because this short story is connected to the symbol which is the cafe from the beginning to the end of the story. Therefore, without this symbol, the story might not be able to take place.
As symbols are representation of something symbolic,it does play a very important elements in short stories such as in the story of 'Young Goodman Brown'. To me, the story has so much symbols even the title which represents the main character gives us the gist about the character as well as other characters. We would know by the name that Brown is someone with good virtue because what else can 'Goodman' mean other than goodness itself. Apart from the names, the setting in the forest is very symbolic too as it brings in the mystery, the darkness that lies in the forest that may keep us guessing. Hence, symbols play its important element that enriches the story.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Lee Kim Hong
149954
B.Edu (TESL)
Symbolism,one of the literature element that is interesting to be figure out.We will never really know how simple thing ever mentioned in a story,finally become the biggest symbol to the story.We will never know unless you are very aware of the story and the situation potrait in the story.In my part,i'll say that symbolism really made a lot of story become more interesting because it will make me generate my rusty brain. My habit,whenever i read any work,i'll try to predict what and how it is end,so i'll try my best to focus and find all the symbols as many as i can.For example when i read and studied 'The Hitchhiker' and 'Rose for Emily'.In thosestory, i have seen lots of symbols that can help me to predict the end of the story and help me to get know the characters in the stories.Towards the end,after realize a few symbols in those stories,it light up my desire to finished my reading to the full stop.And i don't think that it will be fine for any story that never use this literature element because it will make it become a dull story,and since i started reading ,i never come across to any stories that never use the symbolism.If anybody ever come across with it,shake me on and i will read that story then together we will figure out of it.TQ
ReplyDeleteMOHD LUQMAN HAKIEM BIN MOHD SUHAIMI
150160
Symbolism actually forms the whole story in “Hills like white elephant”. Symbolism works under the surface to tie the story's external action to the theme. Early in the development of the fictional narrative, symbolism was often produced through allegory, giving the literal event and its allegorical counterpart a one-to-one correspondence. In the short story that I’ve mention earlier, there is a lot of symbol that you can find such as, the railway, the name of the character, the drinks that they ordered, and even the title itself is a symbol. Without the symbol, I don’t think the story will work as “the magical” part of the story has been removed.
ReplyDeleteAnis Aznita Binti Ghafar
147787
B. ED. TESL
for me, it's undeniably that symbolism plays a vital role when we read a story.it gives us a meaningful understanding if we can figure out this element, as the ins and outs of the story is viewed from a wider extent. one of the stories that uses a lot of symbolism is 'the Storm' by Kate Chopin. the title itself suffices to be symbolic for the turmoil faced by its main character, Calixta.
ReplyDeletethe storm itself is seen as the main causer which brings Alcee to find refuge at Calixta's home from the downpour. and there it is...their lovemaking begins with full of ferocity and excitement as the storm again sets the mood at that moment.
towards the end of the story, Calixta seems doesn't feel guilty of the adultery she has committed, instead gradually relieved as the storm passed by. so, i opines that the storm is actually a symbol of Calixta's hidden feeling and desire to be appreciated as a passionate woman rather than just a housewife who is responsible of house chores.extrapolating the symbol in a story will definitely make your reading more enjoyable and fun!!
siti haMIdah
150188
In ‘I Stand Here Ironing’, the symbolisms will be the iron’s board itself and the cloth. The story is about the hardship a mother has to go through in bringing up her children. One of her children needs special care but in the end that child leads a very successful life. The symbolism for that child will be the cloth that is very hard to iron but through the right technique, the cloth still can be ironed. Even at the end of the story, the mother is still ironing the cloth; showing that although her children have been able to take care of themselves, she still there for her children as guidance. The symbols put more meaning in the story and if there is no symbol, this story will be a bit dull.
ReplyDeleteATIKAH NORDDIN
147325
B.ED. TESL
Ahmad Zahri Bin Asbani
ReplyDelete150168
B.Ed.TESL Twinning Programme
Symbols play a crucial role in making a short story interesting. As we know, symbols are abstract things that readers have to interpret.
The Chrysanthemum by John Steinbeck has caught my interest as it has many symbolisms. First and foremost, the title itself. In this short story, the chrysanthemum symbolizes the hope of Elisa Allen as she cannot get out of the farm. Elisa Allen herself symbolizes the struggle of women in the world. Maybe we did not notice, but Elisa's character display the struggle that women faced in achieving success in their life. Furthermore, the farm symbolizes a cage for Elisa as she cannot get out and stucked with gardening chores. She is not appreciated by her husband. Title, character and setting are examples of symbolism in the story. John Steinbeck has fully used the elements in his short story to relate with symbolism. Any further symbolism, you have to read it by yourselves.
In the nutshell, symbolism also one of the important elements in a short story. It will make the story more interesting and challenging for the readers.
symbolism is the representataion of ideas or belief that goes beyond the true meaning of the words. i had choose the story of "a claen well lighted place by Earnest Hemingway", in my opinion, this story is a story that closely related to our life. trough the story we know that humans are uniqeu , and that shows how Hemingway use the element of symbolism in his story."The cafe" the setting in this story carry the element of symbolism. "the cafe" represent the place for someone to escape from trouble especially in the daily life. the cafe is a clean and well lighted and so that Hemingway use it as a symbol of having the peacefulness in that place. It will be same goes to us as we are having troubles or problems, we might search for a place that can bring calmness and peace to the body and soul.the old man seems to like the cafe because of condition and the eviroment that can bring peacefulness to the problems that he faced. Without this symbol, the story of A clean well lighted place is just the story of the human problems. In my opinion, the symbol is very important in order to represent the idea beyond the surface meaning in the story.
ReplyDeleteMOHD FAIZ YUSOF
150180
B.Ed TESL
Symbolism is a literary element which I would say plays quite a prominent role in making a story to appear livelier, colurful and not so direct. It also works in adding some flavour and certain effects for the readers to enjoy. In my opinion, "Hills Like White Elephant" by Ernest Hemingway uses a lot of symbols throughout the story. From the title itself, hills symbolizes the unborn baby while white elephant symbolizes how expensive and troublesome it can be if the couple decided to keep the baby. Other symbols is the setting itself where it takes place in a railway station, whereby it signifies how the couple live their live and they naver really settled down. The bar on the other hand reflects the recreational live of Jig and the American. The train railway could also be seen as another symbol in this story. The railway is a parallel path buth it never really coincide. It just go on being a seperated path. Finally, I really think that symbols do add that little something to a story because it can be freely perceived and view differently by different readers. This what makes it more interesting.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, symbols do enhance the value of the story. I believe that there are people who are not aware of the use of symbols in stories when they read them. And that to me is something special and unique about symbols.
ReplyDeleteIn the story "The Storm" by Kate Chopin, it is clear that symbolism is used in the title itself. The storm signifies temporary but strong passion and in the context of the story, it empowers the passion between Calixta and Alcee when they were making love. After the passion has passed, the storm also passed. As i have mentioned earlier, there will be people who will not be aware of the symbol itself, but subconciously it does give a strong impact on the reader's feel towards the story. Imagine them making love without the storm. Although the action is the same, there is no enhancer to the feel of the reader. Because of that, symbolism is very useful in short stories.
148914
Sim Kuan Yew
B. Ed TESL
NAME : TAN JIAN XIONG
ReplyDeleteMATRICK NO. : 150146
GROUP : B. ED. TESL (COHORT 5)
When we talk about symbolism, we might go through the meaning of it which brings the message of using symbols to represent certain things such as ideas and emotions. It may also represent something else by association, resemblance, or convention. It plays an important role as to enhance the story line and its rising action. Sometimes, it may be more than one symbolism example in the story and it impact the changing point of the story.
As I have gone through so many short stories, “The open Window” by Saki gives a very deep impression to me as it really makes the story more interesting by using symbolism. The most important symbol in “The Open Window” is the open window itself. When Mrs. Sappleton’s niece tells Mr. Nuttel the story of the lost hunters, the open window comes to symbolize Mrs. Sappleton’s distress and heartbreak at the loss of her husband and younger brother. When the reality is later discovered, the open window no longer symbolizes anguish but the very treachery itself. Saki uses this symbol ironically by having the open window, an object one might expect would imply honesty, as a symbol of deceit. Why I say like this because when a window being open, we can look out the windows and clearly see the scene outside but in the story of “The Open Window”, it plays the role in the other way to conflict the issues that writer trying to imply with.
For me, symbolism is undeniably about symbol. Some short stories use symbolism as its own title. The easiest example that I can give is the open window, where the open window itself is the symbol of the situations in the story. During the ‘story’ created by Vera, it symbolizes the aunt’s feelings. After the ‘story’, it symbolizes the lie made up by Vera. Honestly, there are a bunch of stories that uses symbols. From my own point of view, I think that stories without symbols will be very dull. In the novel ‘Ayat-Ayat Cinta’ and ‘Ketika Cinta Bertasbih’, the author that is Habiburrahman El-Shirazy also used a gigantic number of symbols. Without any symbols, the stories would be easier to read, but it will be far more difficult to understand the message that is being implied by the author. In short, I think that a story is like a new house, while symbolisms are the paints. It could be Nippon or whatsoever, but it will definitely give a colourful life to the house.
ReplyDeleteHANAN BIN MOHD NOR
150175
B.Ed TESL
MOHANDAS NAIDU PERUMAL
ReplyDelete150179
B.ED TESL
Good day. Talking about symbols in stories, "Lord Of Flies" by William Golding was the first story I have discovered the symbols. Actually, this story uses symbols throughout the story which gives very deep understanding. For example, Conch in Lord of Flies symbolizes power and authority in which whoever holds the conch will have the rights to speak in assembly. Second is fire. It symbolizes hope. Third example is Piggy's spectacles which symbolizes intellegence. There are also other symbols like the tribal dance and pig head which symbolizes savage. In my point of view, these symbols represent thousand meanings which need hundereds words to describe. So, symbols are useful in attracting a reader and in giving a better understanding of the particular story.
Hola everybody!!
ReplyDeleteNow,symbols,as far as I know, is one of the most vital elements in a story. Without it, we can write a story but it may appear dull, as how we eat a meal that has no taste. One of the best example that I can think of is the story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. The title itself indicates the symbol. What suppose to be a happy occasion turns out to be the shock of life for most readers,I'm one of them. The lottery in this story symbolises death which is inevitable and it may occur to anyone who's "lucky". Throughout the story, the are foreshadows that will help the readers to identify this symbol. So,that is how this story becomes interesting. Obviously, without this symbol,This story would not mean anything,that is my opinion. Again I would like to emphasis that symbol is one of the important literary elements that one can find in stories. That's all for now
Adios....
symbol is a vital element in short stories as it helps to convey a story better. it could symbolize a person, place, time, or the story as a whole. a potent example would 'the open window' by Saki. the story evolves as Vera, the main character in the story uses the open window as a base of her telltale.besides that a person's name can also symbolize his or he characteristics. for instance, Mr.Nuttel in 'the open window' .his name denotes himself suffering from nervous breakdown(has something wrong to do with his mind). these two examples, significantly show that symbol assists a reader to comprehend a story better as it gives space for readers to picture the story
ReplyDeleteV.KUMUTHAMALLAR
150177
B.ED TESL
I highly regard symbols in literature to be something very important and significant to the storyline.It has always given a hidden meaning to the literature piece.The story that had captured the attention of great symbolism would be 'The Lottery'.The main item that had shown symbolism to the whole story is the 'black box'.
ReplyDeleteAs mention in the story,the box grew shabbier each day in the story,the balck colour was fading as the paint was wearing off.This basically shows how old and traditional the lottery event was.The balck box managed to describe the whole event and i think the symbolism was clearly shown.
Guhaneswwari 150150
for me, symbol plays an important role in a literary work. this is because symbol can make a story more interesting to be read by the readers. the readers will take time to read and understand the meaning behind the symbolism that being used by the author. we can see a lot of symbol being used in a literary work not just to make the story more interesting but also to give the MOOD to the story.
ReplyDeleteAs example, in the short story "the clean well lighted place". int this story, the cafe is not just a setting of place but also as a symbol. in this story, cafe is symbolize as a place of peace. this is because in the story, the cafe is portrait as a place that well lighted and a place for the people to eat and rest after a busy day at work. this story will not be interesting if the reader cannot understand the meaning behind the symbols that been used by the author.
so, in a literary work or short story, symbol plays an important role to make the literary work become more interesting to be read. And the reader should understand the meaning behind the symbol that being used because the symbol can give a different meaning to the story.
Ahmad Tajuddin Sulaiman
150167
Symbols are essential to the short story writer because they convey so much in so short a space. From the story “Hills Like White Elephants”,the title of the story itself refers to an aspect of its setting which is symbolically important in many ways. The symbolism of the hills and the big white elephant can be thought of as the image of the swollen breasts and abdomen of a pregnant woman. While the colour of the elephants symbolizes the innocent and purity of the unborn child. Apart from the eponymous hills, other parts of the setting provide symbolism which expresses the tension and conflict surrounding the couple which is the train tracks. From the story “hills like white elephants”, it can be proved that symbols is a vital elements among the others.
ReplyDeleteDOREEN TANG KA SHING
149791
BAC EDU-TESL
Symbolism, huh? hmm...
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, people couldn’t really care about symbols in a story, unless they read the story to find the symbols. Yet, without realizing it, there are symbols in every story they read. I believe it plays an important role in a story.
In the story ‘To Build a Fire’ by Jack London, there are few symbols used. The hint in the title itself suggests an important symbol in the story. In a cold country like Yukon, especially for a traveller, fire is very important. For the unnamed main character in the story, the biggest mistake he made during the journey was to build a fire under a tree. When his situation became worst, he desperately tried to build a fire. As his struggles result to nothing, he knew there’s no more hope for him. So, the fire here represents a hope for the character to survive the extreme cold weather. The next symbol is the unnamed man in the story. He was not given a name as he’s a symbol for all men who are relying too much on fact over instinct which is very important in places with extreme weather like Yukon. The dog in the story symbolizes an instinctual reaction to the situation. Rather than relying on the fact to survive the weather, it depends on its instinct. In the end, the man who relies on the fact was defeated by the dog that relies on the instinct. Again, when the dog realized the man already died, it depends on its instinct to find a place that could provide it with food.
See how important symbols are in a story? It may seem like it is not that important, yet without it the story will be less ‘flavoured’!
NAME: NOR FARHANA OTHMAN
MATRIKS NO.: 150154
B.Ed TESL (Twinning Programme)
Symbols play an important roles in delivering the messages that are hidden in a short story which I hardly could get them when reading the first few paragraphs of it. Instead of focusing on the theme, a reader should not simply put aside the symbols as they will help to give a clear picture on what the story is all about. For me, symbolism helps me a lot in understanding 'Lord of the flies'.When I first reading it, I could not get the gist on what is the author actually focusing on. In fact, I do not like that kind of story. However, when coming to the part of symbolism that can be found quite a number in the story, I changed my perception towards the story. I started to get excited on what is going to happen after another. What I can say is symbolism really helps me in putting myself in reading a story.
ReplyDeleteHANISAH BT ZAINAL BAHRIN
150176
Symbol is an important element attached to the stories we read throughout the days. It makes the story meaningful and readable. Readers may find this element as vital because it has the value of making the story wonderful and readers can feel the challenge throughout their readings. One of the story that captured my attention was 'A ROSE FOR EMILY'. This story is rich with symbols. The title itself is a symbol and it brings loads of interpretation as we read the story. To me, the ROSE itself symbolizes respect toward EMILY, the main character of the story. In fact, people around the globe know that ROSE has always brings meanings. Rose on the other hand is independent. It is independent in the sense of it is beautiful but at the same time it has thorns that will be used to protect herself. That's all I want to share for now.
ReplyDeleteTill fingertips meet the keyboard again:)
MS AMALINA AHMAD
150170
B.ED TESL(TWINNING PROGRAMME)
For me,symbolism is used to provide meaning to the writing beyond what is actually being described. The plot and action that take place in a story can be thought of as one level, while the symbolism of certain things in the writing act on another level to enhance the story.For example, the story that come across my mind is "A Rose For Emily".For me a rose it self symbolized herself that is loyal to only one person who she loves which is Homer Barron. She willing to kill Homer Barron and keep the crops with her until her die and that's shows that she is very loyal.So for me the story cannot be use without the symbols it self because it actually giving you the key word of the story itself.
ReplyDeleteWAN MOHD FADHLI B. WAN SAIPUDDIN
150147
B.ED TESL(TWINNING PROGRAMME)
symbol is one of the elements that attract me to read a story other than characters. it gives me some clue on what's gonna happen in that story or what's the story about. many symbols can be found as early as the reader read the title such as The Storm and A Rose for Emily. however not all things that seem like a symbol is a symbol such as the story The Open Window. a symbol always be the foreshadow of a story when it gives hints on what gonna happen further in the story. however, a story still can be interesting even without symbols.
ReplyDeleteI think most of the stories that i had read used symbolism pretty much. For example, in Macbeth by Shakespeare, blood was used as a symbol of guilt in the story. It was clearly described in the story after Macbeth had killed Duncan, he felt like some sort of guilt had bred upon him. He felt that the crime Lady Macbeth & him had committed had stained them in a way that it cannot be washed clean. "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red," The same thing also happened to Lady Macbeth the misdeed that they had done led to her madness as the result of guilt that lied beneath her. " Here's the smell of blood, all of the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand," For me this story would not do if this symbol was not use in it because this story was all about committing crime and the punishment that you will get for doing it.Blood was the symbol of guilt in this story and I suppose the feeling of guilt was the punishment that Macbeth and his wife got for committing their sinful act.
ReplyDeleteNUR ZIATULLIANA BT. LIAS
150156
B.ED TESL(TWINNING PROGRAMME)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMohd Shazwan bin Mohd Dom
ReplyDelete150162
B.Ed TESL (Twinning Programme)
Symbol? Hmm..well, symbolism is when objects are used as a metaphor for something else..as example, in the poem The Dead Crow by A Samad Said. The dead crow is already a symbol of the deadly effects of nature, basely upon man and also nature. The poet clearly stated that he wanted clean air for his grandchildren. He also wanted the nature to be let free, and wanted only the wise ones to change the future of the country. The poet are angry because there are some peoples who don’t really take a good care of the nature. Because of that, pollutions are everywhere. In some culture, crow can be defined as a bad luck. It's a symbol of death in some culture.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMohd Syahir B. Hamzahtulhikmal
ReplyDelete150142
B.ED TESL(TWINNING PROGRAMME)
A symbol has complex meaning; it has not only "factual" meaning, but also additional meaning beyond the factual. A symbol may have more than one meaning. In fact, the most significant symbols do convey an indefinite range of meanings. Symbols may have very narrow or quite wide ranges of meaning. The range may be limited to an individual, or perhaps to a small group. People other than the individual or group will not understand that meaning of the symbol. A symbol's range also may be cultural, meaning that it is known by members of cultural groups, ethnic groups, religious groups, national groups, and so on.
For example in A Rose For Emily, WIliam Faulkner use a rose as a symbol of love in his story. The use of this symbol in the title have juiced up the story.
The story that i have read is Hills Like White Elephants and symbolism is used in this story where it is shown through the title itself.The title signifies the unborn baby that Jig was carrying.The white elephant symbolise something that is unwanted just like the American opinion towards the baby that Jig was carrying as he wants Jig to abort itbut to her it is something that she would like to keep as white here symbolise purity and innocence.There are also other symbols found in the story such as the railway which symbolises choices in life that has to be made by them and i feel that by using symbolism in the story it helps to generate readers interest towards the story as they would want to know more about the story.
ReplyDeleteEVELYN PHILIP
150048
Mohd Harith Fadhullah B Mohd Said
ReplyDelete150159
First of all, symbol can be described as something that represent something else, either by association or by resemblance. It can be a material object or a written sign that can be used to represent the hidden meaning. If we talk about symbolism in literature, symbol is used to provide meaning to the writing . the symbolism of certain thing act on another level to enchance the story.
for example, in Lord Of the Flies , the conch represent order and democracy to maintain the society on that island . the island itself symbolises the world in which we live in and the characters are symbolic of the way different people conduct their live.
to conclude,Symbolism can be used to described the plot or the characters to beyond what is actually described
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi all! =)
ReplyDeleteTalking about symbols, it is such an interesting element that we could have in short stories or novels. There are a lot of short stories that apply symbols. However, i am so much attracted to the story "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck. John Steinbeck signifies the chrysanthemums as Elisa Allen, the main character in the story. The chrysanthemums are seen as lovely flowers having strong stems and roots that it is not easily destroyed. Nevertheless, it is actually fragile as flowers usually by far withered anyway. It goes the same with Elisa Allen as she is described as strong and manly outside, but she is actually weak inside. Although she looks satisfied with her life and her flowers, her inner feelings which long for attention, love and appreciation by her husband cannot be hide when she starts crying after looking at the chrysanthemums thrown away by the tinker, who sweet talk to her about the flowers. The tinker only wants to have the pot to be sold (Elisa uses the pot to plant the chrysanthemums).
ADANI MAIZAN BINTI MOHAMAD
150165
In my opinion, Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” consist a lot of interesting symbols. Jackson raises many questions in the back of a reader’s mind. She shows how coldness and lack of compassion in people can exhibit in situations regarding tradition and values. The name of the characters in this story also indicates the symbols. Graves is the man who carries in the black box. His name hints to what will happen to Tessie Hutchinson. It is also from Mr. Graves whom the citizens get the papers from, therefore it shows that he is the one who has the most influence over whose grave it will be next. The black box is another symbol that is highlighted in the story. The introduction of the box changes the mood of the story. The box indicates the outdated tradition in a community. Even the color of the box is a symbol for evil. I think, symbols are an important element is a short story. It will make the story more interesting for the reader to continue reading.
ReplyDeletePORSHOTHMAN ELENGGOVEN
150144
B.Ed TESL IPTI-UPM
I strongly agree that symbols play a vital part in any stories. For symbols are one of the medium the writers could juggle their emotions and a way the writers express their infinite creativity. I have read many stories contained tons of symbols but the story I like most is 'The Journey'. Look at the title at a glance will lead readers to infer that the story is about physical journey, maybe from point A to pint B, as 'the journey' make sense in our daily life. However, reading the first paragraph until the last sentence in that story will lead readers to interpret in the other way round. The journey meant in the story is actually symbolizes a life of the main characters whereby he has transformed from an ordinary unknown boy to a high profile society. 'The journey' of his life bring no good to him and later he realized he has gone too far from his root and tries to take another 'journey' back, to the place he came. The symbol of the journey is crucial and without vivid and rigid clarification about it will lead readers to confusion. Fortunately, the writer is brilliant enough to develop the story line and i strongly believe that without that symbol, the story will not be that meaningful to the readers, precisely on me.
ReplyDeleteNURULNATASHA BASOK
150163
Symbol is an interesting element that can be found in literary works. Symbol mekes a story become more interesting because it represents something that the author wants to deliver without telling it directly. Symbol has its own hidden meaning. For example, in " The Lord Of The Flies " by William Golding, there are many symbols that can be found in this novel. One of the symbol is Piggy's spectacles. His spectacles symbolised intelectual. Piggy is a clever boy and he always thinks before he acts. When his spectacles broke, the situation on the island was messed up. So, to me, the usage of symbol makes a story become more interesting and the reader will be eager to read the story and it depends to them to interpret the symbol with their own thinking.
ReplyDeleteFARAH NORFARHANA BT REZEMI
150172
In any story, symbols can be portrayed through settings, characters or the title of the particular story itself. Most stories that i have read where the authors emphasize on the symbols are usually remarkable. Here, i would like to bring a story from the play "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller which employs symbols through the characters and their names.
ReplyDeleteThe main character in the play, names Willy Loman (which is actually Willy "Low Man"). He is a salesman who faces sort of difficulties in his job due to United States economic expansion. Though, as a husband and a father he wants to give the best to his family and wants to be respected by his sons. However, along the way Willy Loman could not manage the difficulties and at the same time he is having an affair with a woman even though his wife is dutiful. He then loses respect after his son discovers the affair. Since willy Loman is under depression, he takes his own life. This shows that the name that he brings signifies him as low and helpless.
Another character is the son, names Happy. He is a womanizer, so, he leads a "happy" life as he never serious in his matter. Thus, the characteristics in him suit his name.
MOHD FIKRI FAHAMI BIN KAMARUDIN
150181
Symbolism is used by an author to convey some messages to the readers but in subtle way. An example for symbolism is in The Storm by Kate Chopin. The title of the story it self suggests the element of symbolism. As shown by Calixta and Alcee when they net by chance which lead to the unexpected romance by two of them, just like the storm, inevitable and unpredictable. one more characteristic of the storm id the calmness of it after the visit. Calixta calmly attend to her husband after the visit of her ex lover, Alcee. All this will make the reader understand the story better.
ReplyDeleteSymbol is amongst my favourite literary elements because I enjoy treasuring the beyond meaning of it. Usually readers tend to overlook the essential role of symbol and seems not to care of the presence. However, in some stories like Charlie and The Choclate Factory, the symbol of choclate completes the story which eventually hoist Roald Dahl name as best writer of the century.
ReplyDeleteIn the story, the wonka choclate symbolizes wealthy and perseverance as during that time only rich people afford to buy that. It also shows how Mr Wonka has put all his sweat to establishe such a well known choclate.
Moreover, the choclate potrays the determination of Charlie to get the gold ticket, the invitation to the factory. In order to get the gold ticket, Charlie willing to sacrifice everyhting so that, the gold ticket will be his.
In conclusion, we can see here that the value of symbol is so strong. It does not only influences the story but perfect it either.
NURUL HUSNA BTE MOHD NOOR
150186
symbolism is a core element that should exist in any stories or literature component, as it is the heart of the literature. it gives the idea and reveals the themes of the story, and makes the literature component as a unique subject to be studied. for the story i just learned and still remember, the lottery by shirley jackson. a lot of symbolisms can be found throughout the story. the first one is the title. the lottery symbolizes the irony of what the lottery really is. when i first read the title, i thought it might be about the jackpot, but i was wrong. the winner of the lottery will be throwing by stones to death, something unpredictably from the very beginning.
ReplyDeleteanother representation of symbolism would be through the use of objects. what i noticed the most is the black box in which the villagers draw from. black is generally known as a dark and evil color, a color suggesting death and horror. the choice of using black for the box perfectly fits into the theme of the story.
mohd Hanis Khairi
150182
hye everyone and assalamualaikum...
ReplyDeletesymbols??interesting topic...for me, A ROSE FOR EMILY is a story with a lot of symbols in it. the title itself show us the symbolization of the storyline in this story...for me,the rose can present two tings; love and death. the rose can present the Emily's love towards his father and Hormer Baron. the other one, the rose can be the symbol of the death whereas in Christian, when someone died, they will give the roseas the last respect for the deceased. it is an interesting story indeed. a story can not do without the symbols in it because symbols is like one of the spices to enrich the excitement in the story. without symbol(s), the story can be boring,dull and uninteresting. but if the story do have the symbols, it could enhance the excitement, suspense and reader's attention to read the story...
name:Siti Zubaidah Mohd Nor
Matric No.:150158
Assalamualaikum and greeting.
ReplyDeleteSymbolism is rather an interesting topic to be discussed. Symbolism is not something that can be directly seen from the text, instead it needs deep analysis to come up with the meanings. An example of a short story that has quite a number of symbols is A Rose for Emily. In this story, the house itself is an important symbol of the story The narrator's description of it as an "eyesore among eyesores" is a double or even triple judgment. The narrator doesn't seem to approve of the urban sprawl. We also speculate that the house is an emblem of money probably earned in large part through the labors of slaves, or emancipated slaves. The final part of this judgment has to do with the fact that the house was allowed to decay and disintegrate. There are a lot of other symbols in this particular story such as the pocket watch, the stationery, the hair, lime, arsenic, death, and taxes. As a conclusion, a certain level of knowledge is needed to be able to analyze symbols.
Mohd Ashraf bin Mohd Azhar
147635
B.Ed.TESL (main stream)
in short stories or poems there are some aspects that the author use to get their reader's attention which is the use of symbolism and setting. most authors use these aspect to make the readers understand more about their writing. for examples, through symbolism readers can imagine about how the stories relate to their personal life or through setting readers can imagine the situation that takes place in their writing. so readers and writers can share the same view point or even thinking the opposite of each other. it depends on how the writers describe the setting and symbolism in their work. for example, in the chrysanthemum the symbolism use is the flower which symbolize the main character’s thoughts and idea.
ReplyDeleteMUHAMMAD IKRAM B. MUSTAFA
150143
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletesymbol is important. believe me symbol can influence our interpretation for certain story. judging from characters alone cannot guarantee your assumption is correct. literary devices or elements contains 's'.so do not judge just on one element or device.i hope you understand what i mean here. symbol in certain story is clearly pictured like the one in the rose for Emily while other are not. as example if you know lord of the flies. we have to pay more attention if we want the whole symbols. different symbols bring different meaning in community. pictured by that novel.
ReplyDeletemohd nakhaie bin abd malik
150161
in literature,symbol is used to provide meaning to the writing beyond what is actually being described.symbol can take place by having the theme of a story represented on a physical level.
ReplyDeletefor instance,throughout the story "The Lottery",written by Shirley Jackson,it is noticeable that many of the characters name are very symbolic to what goes on in the story.one of the characters names is Grave and this name really stood out symbolically in the story.when i see the name Grave,it makes me think of the grave brings up death,sorrow,and very common thoughts of unfairness.all of this feelings and aspects are relevant throughout the story "The Lottery",because someone in the story is chosen to be sacrificed.this causes the people who love that person,to be sad,in denial about the situation and also thing that,that person's death is unfair.all of these feelings and emotions are seen in the name 'Grave' and are all also shown throughout the story.
A story with direct representation of meaning is never as exciting as the one with many possible meanings. That’s at least what I think. Story without symbols? Haha, no, I don’t think so for I believe in every story, what is being told has a vast selection of choices in defining every elements-object, people, places, etc.
ReplyDelete“The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinback has quite a good vivid and explicit representation of elements to be subjected as symbols. Eliza Allen, a lady who is being described to having the masculinity features is also to be viewed as weak because she is just another women who possesses the sensitive emotions. The flower- Chrysanthemums are like her babies, play a significant part of symbolism. The flower itself, symbolizes the fragility of a woman. Flowers need to be supported either by pots or be planted on earth. Flowers wither in times just as how woman break down to tears. Symbols intensify the story’s content which later amplifies the reader’s interest to justify possible meanings.
LEONG FONYI
150178
Symbolism, though taking on the minor role in a story, is nonetheless one of the most interesting literary element; one which enriches other elements and hence, brings out the essence of a story altogether. One symbol may contain more than one meaning. Therefore, it is constantly evolving and is opened to many interpretations. Different symbols bring about different meanings to different people of different cultures. With reference to Mary Frances Chong’s ‘The Jade Bracelet’ – a story close to heart, I’ll share a little on a symbol I found most striking in the story. Hints of symbolism in this story evidently begin with the title itself. Set in Perak in the 1960s, this story tells of a dying grandmother’s wish to have her jade bracelet handed down to her granddaughter; but was stopped by her daughter - a pious follower of Chinese customs and traditions who claims the right of her brother as the rightful heir to that piece of property. Using this particular jade bracelet, the author depicts the significance of it to the Chinese traditions, specifically in the hand down of an heirloom. Jade – the Orient king of gems which had lived for as long as the history of Chinese has, is until today regarded as most significant to the Chinese; its bracelet form – an endless circle, is the perfect representation of traditions’ restrictions and bondage. Hence, if replaced by gems of other kinds, the significance of the story is lost altogether.
ReplyDeleteWhile other elements may depict a story, symbols refine them :)
I will explain this topic based on short story Hills Like White Elephant by Ernest Hemingway. This story relies on symbolism to carry the theme of either choosing to live selfishly and dealing with the results, or choosing a more difficult and selfless path and reveling in the rewards. The hills symbolize two different decisions that the pregnant girl in our story is faced with. Both hills are completely opposite of each other, and each "hill" or decision has a consequence that is just as different as the appearance of the hills. The writer uses drinking, the hillsides, and a railroad track between the two hills to help convey his theme. The beer in this story is used to represent the couple's usual recreational activity to that they do together. Their recreational activity bothers the girl because "that's all [they] do … look at things and try new drinks." This gives the reader some suspicion that the girl has grown tired of doing the same things over and over again and would like to do something different, like getting married and starting a family instead of goofing off all the time. She wants to stop behaving like an adolescent girl and become a woman. These desires and feelings show that the girl is ready and desiring a change, however her male partner doesn't seem at all interested in changing his ways.
ReplyDeleteIn my own opinion, the story portrays that there is really no abortion process being committed because the girl realizes that she couldn’t have everything when the abortion is done.
Ahmad Zakwan Johan
150169
i personally like the idea of having symbolism in stories or poems. it is because the readers will has to think a little what is the meaning of symbols and this will increase the anxiety among the readers about the literary works. As for me,i choose a story that we had learnt during our lower form of secondary school which is "Of Bunga Telor and Bally Shoes" by Che Husna Azhari. the objects that have symbolized in this story are the bunga telor and the Bally shoes (related to the title of the story). Bunga telor in this story represent the Malay custom which is very important to Jamal's family during the wedding. once, Jamal had decided to replace bunga telor with the Hacks but his family totally disagree and threaten to call off the wedding. it shows how they want the custom to carry on. beside that, the Bally shoes also symbolized something. Bally shoes is well known for its prestigious, high class and so on. however, Jamal was not clever to sell the shoes at a very low price. it was sold just to cover the amount of money needed to buy the bunga telor.
ReplyDeleteas a whole, "of Bunga Telor and Bally shoes" symbolizes the important of custom to the family.
mohd faiz bin mohd noor
150141
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteUsing symbols is one way to convey messages to the readers. Symbols cannot be interpreted just by the words used. We must think the significant of the symbols to the context in the short story. In “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding, there are lots of symbols being used. This is one of the stories that I read during my foundation years. William Golding uses ‘Piggy’s glasses’ (one of the character in the story) to represents the intellectual and intelligence of a society. Besides that, he also uses ‘the conch’ to symbolize an organization and at the same time represents the theme in the story which is ‘the essential of unity in a society.’ From my opinion, without the symbols, the story will be not interesting enough to be read.
ReplyDeleteWan Mohd Najat Bin Wan Nawang
150148
In my opinion, symbolism in the short story is used to provide the meaning of what the authors described about something in the story. As an example in the short story 'The Storm' written by Kate Chopin, throughout the whole story, the characters Alcee, Bobinot, Calixta, Bibi, and Clarisse all without knowing it, symbolize different parts of this rather complicated piece of work. The beginning line states “ the leaves were so still that even Bibi thought it was going to rain.” Still leaves may represent the still, uninterrupted lifestyle and marriage of Bobinot and Calixta. As we can see throughout the example above, symbolism is an important literary element because it can help the reader to know more what is going on in the story.
ReplyDeleteMohd Hasif Izzat
150183
I was really glad when I discovered that symbolism is the topic for this week. It is because symbolism is one of the most interesting elements in literature components. Symbols in short stories as in other areas of life, refers to the use if a specific object to stand for one or more abstract ideas.
ReplyDeleteI have read a short story entitled, “Young Goodman Brown”, and I can’t help but to notice that there are many symbols in the short story. The names of the first two characters introduced in the story, Young Goodman Brown and his wife Faith, are both symbolic. The title “Young Goodman” shows that Brown is actually a young adult with good personalities while “Faith”, is used as the name of his wife and also to show how Brown clings to his faith about the world.
To sum up, symbols are used to increase our awareness or deepen our understanding and if we are able to view the symbols from different perspectives, we can understand how and why people perceive things differently, thus enabling us to accept the difference between us humans.
Muhamad Hud bin Muhammed
147270
B. Ed. TESL
Symbols can portray the messages that the author wants to convey. In Lord Of The Flies by William Golding, he uses a number of themes to represent a number of idea. The most interesting symbol in the story is the beast. It represents the dark side of men. The beast is not an animal on the loose, but it is hidden in each boy psyche. The beast leads them to be more savage-like. That is why Simon was killed because they thought Simon was the beast. However, the truth is Simon was killed because the boys were caught up in mob behavior and enjoyed the thrill of the ‘hunt’. Lot of the flies surrounds the beast, and this I symbol of a rotting society. There are no more good moral values among the group except for Ralph and Piggy. Therefore these symbols make the story more interesting and meaningful and they help to put the themes across clearly.
ReplyDeleteSymbolism....i think an interesting story is halfly depends on the element of symbolism. symbolism plays as an important element in making a story more meaningful. it is also used to refer to a particular group or gender. for example in the story chrysanthemum, flower represent the main character in the story that is a women. symbolism will make a story more interesting as the reader will interpret it with their interpretation and it is not wrong as the interpretation does make sense.
ReplyDeleteikram muzakkir
150139
Mohd Ishan Bin Mohd Sharin
ReplyDelete150184/B.Ed Tesl Twinning Program
Symbolism played an important role in the development of story. This element of literature is used to give significance to certain people or objects, which represent some other figure. “The Storm” written by Kate Chopin is an example of use of symbolism in the story. At first, before I read this story, I assume that this story is about the weather which it could bring a disaster to certain character. In contrast, in this story, it is not only about the weather but also the feelings of the character, Calixta. While waiting for her husband, Bobinot and her son, Bibi at home as they were caught in a storm at the store, at the same time, Alcee appeared to find the refuge at her home from the downpour. As the storm happened, Alcee and Calixta were sensually making love with each other. She became a selfish person as she followed her sexual desire to make love with Alcee and did not think of her family as main important thing in her life. As the storm passed, she seemed excused from her unfaithfulness. It seemed to all be washed away with the storm.
Well, in my opinion, if the writer does not include the symbolism in the story, of course, the story will not become an interesting one as symbolism is one of an important element in the literature.
Sometimes,in a short story,symbolism plays an important role to convey its meaning and message and the author also has the attention to capture the readers' attention by putting the symbols.The author may use object,person,action or image to share his thought and mood to the readers.With the reference to a story "A Rose For Emily" by William Faulkner,the title itself gives us some idea that the use of rose is an example of symbolism.Rose normally can be seen as love but at the same time,to the certain extend it can be seen as death likewise in this short story.To Emily,rose represents love by her father only and a tribute to a dead person.Rose can grow continously but at the end,it will fade and there is no sparks anymore.In conclusion,symbolism can bring us some excitement and joy while reading a short story.
ReplyDeleteNUR AQILAH BT AHMAD
150155
ZAINULARIFFIN BIN SHAFIE
ReplyDelete150189
B.Ed TESL IPGM KTI-UPM
Writers, in literature, explore their creativity in expressing meaning to make sense in their reader's minds. For example, in John Steinback's "The chrysanthemum", the chysanthemum itself symbolises beauty which Elisa Allen appreciates. Her husband, Henry opposes the idea that he likes practical thing more than beautiful things. This can be seen when Henry says to Elisa that it would be great if she can grow apples in the orchard like she grow the flowers. Obviously, this shows that Henry does not appreciate beauty as much as Elisa. The writer, John Steinback makes use of the issue of beauty versus practicality successfully throughout the story.
well, a story is made based on the literary elements and of course, a story does not stand by itself. it has to be some elements in there and what makes that story burst and capture readers' attention.
ReplyDeletewhen one of the literary elements is concerned, i think, it has to be the crucial part and i chose symbolism as a vital part in one's story.
throughout the story itself, symbolism is important as it takes the whole picture to give the subtle understanding to the story line.
as in the story "The Storm", it is very obvious that the author uses a lot of symbolism elements in that story. the storm itself, symbolises the passion between Calixta and Alcee.
besides, the setting also can be as symbolic as it would, if the story is nicely written and it has whatever it takes.
in short, symbolism is rather important and it needs to be translated to see what exactly what it means. thank you.
fahmi fahrruzi
150171
LEE SUE YEN
ReplyDelete150151
Symbolism(s) can be very interesting aspects in any story. They bring out the essence of a story and at the same time may be put forth to convey a certain message to readers.
I would like to particularly bring to attention the short story "A Clean, Well-lighted Place" by Ernest Hemingway. It is remarkable how such a short, simple story, set in a humble Spanish cafe could bring about such profound meaning in its message to readers; only through the characters. I believe The "Old Man" in this story is used as a symbol. He represents all the aging, lonely people of this world who yearns for love and solitude in their old age. Besides, notice that the "old man" is not given a name. I think this is done purposefully so everyone and anyone could actually relate to the plight of the "old man."
It is interesting to note that in "A Clean, Well-lighted Place", the writer tends to use his characters as symbolism. Just as the "old man" symbolizes the elderly people, "the young waiter" and "the old waiter" are both very significant symbols in this story as well.
These symbols enrich a simple story. When I first read "A Clean, Well-lighted Place", I did not think much about the characters. Therefore, i could not see the significance of such a story and wondered why the writer would take time to depict such a setting for a story. After much thought, i finally realised that the characters do symbolize something. It is through this realisation that this short story suddenly became alive and meaningful to me. I felt really touched as I draw connections between the symbols (characters) and the stark reality of life.
Truly, symbols could bring about a refreshing difference to an otherwise "not-so-meaningful" story. However, I think a story could do without symbols, but that would make it less challenging, less interesting and not to mention less meaningful. Nevertheless, symbols, in my opinion are very subjective aspects. Different individuals could pick up different symbols in a story that they read, depending on how they were to relate it. A simple "window" as in the "Open Window" by Saki may mean "sight or clarity" to some, but to others that "window" might simply be just a window. Therefore, a story might or might not have a symbol, it is what us readers make of it - that makes the story meaningful to us.
In a story, a good writer usually provides symbolisms for us to think of what is behind the sory. a story without symbolism maybe will do but it is not rich because as a reader, symbolism is always something specail for us to think about. A scene in a story will be more effective and interesting if we realize that the symbol is there, to provide us with something different, something particular that will affect the reader to go on with the story. I think in a story, symbolism is crucial in passionising (is this word even exist?by the you know te meaning of it =p)the reader throughout the story.Without it, for me a story might be interesting but a bit empty, by the absence of symbols to fill it up.
ReplyDeleteSymbolism basically is a symbol explaining something. Without symbolism stories will be lame and not really intersting for reader. Symbolism completes the stories. It helps author to express his/her feelings and thoughts in an artistic way, so the stories become fascinating and lovely to read or listen. Further more if stories are told or written without any symbolism, reader most probably not excited in the stream of story. With the symbols in the stories adds to the readers interest by making us re-evaluate and rethink what we are reading. We are human being and created with the feature of reflection. We suppose to reflect with our surrounding and our knowledge. It makes things valuable and meaning full. For the symbolism, we need to rethink and try to extract some meaning why things are like that. It will make story meaning full and enjoyable. For instance Rose for Emily. It was a nice story with its symbolism. Even the title of the story was symbolic itself. The rose symbolise her love, precious one in her life. The Grierson house is used to symbolize Miss Emily's physical attributes. In its leading, the Grierson house is described as "white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies". This description suggests that the house was built not only for function, but also to impress and engage the attention of the other townspeople. There are many symbols that direct you to believe Miss Emily is still living in her post bellum era when she was in her prime with her father. She will not allow the town to put a house number on her home for the free postal service.
ReplyDelete145887mehmet
Symbolism to me is one of the interesting elements in short stories as it helps me as the reader to ponder on the author’s intention towards writing a particular story. for instance, Hills like White Elephant by Ernest Hemingway portray quite a lot of symbolism elements such as the character by the name Jig herself which supposed to mean a type of quick dance and it should symbolize a exciting movement and emotion but the irony is that she is emotionally unstable and unhappy with her life. Besides the character, the title itself symbolizes the hills as Jig’s baby in her stomach which is growing bigger day by day but is expressed as a white elephant which means the unwanted thing. Therefore, symbolism is needed in a particular story so that it will be more meaningful and make the story becomes more interesting to be read.
ReplyDeleteNUR ANIS BINTI MOHD ROHAIMI
146395
LHE 3250
Symbols help to enrich a story. It helps to give more clues on what the author is trying to convey. A symbol could represent one meaning or a few meanings. Symbols sometimes are use in an aspect of the story like the character, the setting, or objects. But, there are also stories that are actually based on symbols.
ReplyDeleteOne example is Young Goodman Brown. In this story, symbols could be seen in many aspects. The first symbol that is obviously seen is the names of the characters. Goodman Brown for an example is the symbol of the characteristic of the character. He is portraying to be a good person that has simple and positive thinking, but later into more darker and negative minded. His wife name Faith is also a symbol that shows the issue of the story which is a person faith. The setting of the story which takes place in a dark jungle is a symbol of uncertainty, dark, and evil. Symbols can also come in the shape of daily objects. For an example the snake likes staff. It represents danger, evil and how the person that holds it should not be trust as that person like snake is slippery and a forked tongue which means he is a liar.
Those are just a few examples of symbols in Young Goodman Brown. Symbols truly enrich a story. It guides the reader what to think.
RAJA AQILA RAJA ALI
148661
LHE 3250
The short story Young Goodman Brown has used a lot of symbols for the whole story. The title itself shows what the story is about. It is about a Young Goodman Brown, which symbolized a young goodman that has to face the bad and darkness things that are contradicts from his character. The name of the character in the story symbolized the characteristic of the people involved. For example, Faith represents a purity person which is goodman wife and she was convincing brown to have a faith in order to get into the dark forest alone. The setting also shows the bad side of the stories which is place in a forest where goodman brown has to face all the obstacle there.
ReplyDeleteASNIRA BINTI MOHAMAD ASRI
146258
LHE 3250
Nurul Izzati binti Zakaria
ReplyDelete147313
For me, ‘Hills Like White Elephant’ by Ernest Hemingway is a story that is full of symbolism. From the title itself, we can already sense that this story is must be about purity and clean soul. The baby symbolize Jig’s hope of having a new way of life, that is to become a mother. She sees the hills as something that is beautiful and pleasant. In contrast, the Amerian man does not sees the hills as something that is good but instead, he sees it as an obstacles to his life. Other symbolic features is the train station which symbolize choices and decision. They both need to make their choice and once the choice has been made, there is absolutely no turning back . They have to bear with it and the consequences, just like the train that left the station, there’s no turning back. The differences of opinion and view between man and woman may also become one of the major theme. Hemingway style of writing that are full of symbols, is something that is very unique and creative and that differ him the most from other writer.
For me, symbolism can be interpreted as hidden meanings in the story. It helps convey the meaning of the story because a story rarely means something as simple as its plot line. As I go through, in most of the short stories, the writer emphasis an object as a symbol. For example, in John Steinbeck’s short story, ‘The Chrysanthemums’ he uses the flower to symbolize his main character’s thoughts and ideas, Elisa. The symbol tells the reader how little her husband interest on her chrysanthemums/herself. As shown here, Elisa does not feel appreciated by her husband and so she takes care of her chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemums are a beautiful flower and it is the symbols of how beautiful she really is. Early in the story, the writer uses little symbolic phrases to let the reader know that t
ReplyDeleteSuraya: to let the reader know that the chrysanthemums are an extension of Elisa.
Because of the symbol is an essential part of a great story, without it the story will not be as interesting as they are. It will come to the readers very straight forward. The reader might get bored while reading. The symbol also gives the reader more to think about. So, it will increase the curiosity in the reader’s mind as they read the story.
Siti Suraya Nordin
B. Ed TESL (EDU 3214)
150157
for me, symbolism is a must for every literary work especially short story. this is because with symbolism, the author can make the story become more interesting to be read.the symbolism can make the reader think for a moment. this is because they tend to interpret the meaning behind the symbol that been used by the author.
ReplyDeleteas example, take a look at the short story entitle "the Storm". the title it self work as symbol. in you read the story, the storm will give a lot of meaning based on how you look at the story. this is a good example of how the author can play with the mind of the reader with just simple symbolism.
Well, i like the Hills like White Elephants. The author in my opinion has impressively used symbolism to increase the story's strength by leaving powerful impacts on the readers through the symbols. Firstly, the title of the story itself resembles the unborn child of Jig and the American guy. 'Expensive', that it presence in future lives of the couple could determine the longetivity of their relationship while 'rare' as how it's been viewed by Jig, a might once-in-lifetime experience. Furthermore, I can see clearly that the American man does not take the unborn child as important as Jig does. Secondly, i think that the author purposely refuse to name the male character because he wanted to let people acknowledged of common American male traits who lack interest in commitment. These i think are the points why i think effective symbols are used in the short story. Symbolism is cool and good author one is if s/he can use that literary component.
ReplyDeleteMOHD ASYRAF BIN MOHD FAUZI 146086.
NURUL HAKIMIN AZIZI 146008
ReplyDeletethe story which i am fond about in using nice and interesting symbols is Hills Like WHite ELephant by Ernest Hemingway. by looking at the title without reading the story, we will be curious and wondering what the hills have to do with elephants. and that too, with a white elephants! the thing is, when you proceed your reading, you will find that the white elephant is actually referring to the baby in the woman's womb. white elephant can be transcribed as pure, innocent and also rare. this is the same with the baby. the couple was so used of being happy and enjoying their life every moment. it was a rare thing,for they to have to confront a very crucial matters that need to be look at closely as it will affect their relationships. its also important to look at the name of the characters. the name of the baby's father is not mentioned in the story but only be referred to as the American. which i think correlates with the fact that man only see things in general and as a whole. while the woman is named as Jig that brings the meaning of any of various old rustic dances involving kicking and leaping. this is shown in the woman's uncertainty in making the decision of whether or not she should keep the baby.
writer used symbols to symbolized the hidden meaning as they wanted to make their story even more interesting. in a story entitle The Storm,the storm itself refers to a lot of thing in the story. the storm outside the home and the storm that have been made by the couple inside the house. it is very interesting to know the exact meaning on each and every symbol used by the author.
ReplyDeleteIts really looking Different from others and thanks for sharing
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