Symbols in Short Stories

1. Symbols in Short Stories By Fatima Walker-Hodge

2. Introduction • Symbols can be found in most literature especially in short stories. symbolism where a person, animal, object, or landscape is used to represent and explain the purpose of a story. Symbols may connect to a reader's emotions and express a thought to communicate a message with a deeper meaning. In some of the short stories taught in English 1302, they all have symbols that the reader could see and make inferences on what is actually happening or what is being said. With some tips and tricks, the reader can use them to help them have a better understanding of symbolism.

3. Definition • What is Symbolism? • Symbolism is when the author uses objects, animals, nature or anything else to add deeper meaning to a story. An author may repeatedly use the same type of symbols to convey deeper meaning and create a mood or feeling. Often, Symbolism is also used to support a literary theme.

4. Purpose of Symbols • The purpose critically reading for symbols is to make sure you find the hidden message. The message describes something beyond what is actually being described. Symbols are important in short stories to give more depth and more meaning to something without being obvious. So make sure you are always looking for them.

5. Examples of Symbolism • Sometimes symbols can be represented by either animals, objects, food, colors, nature, and etc..

6. Animals as symbols • Animals from various cultures symbolizes many different things such as the dove for peace and tranquility and the Ox for boldness and strength. • Examples from “Hills like white elephants”: • White Elephants—In some countries elephants born white are considered to be a sacred possession. When “Jig” talks about the white elephants they are actually symbolizing the worthiness and importance of her unborn child.

7. Objects as symbols • Objectscan also be used to symbolize meaning in a short story. • Examples from “Hills like White Elephants”: • Luggage– symbolizes the heavy baggage of the thought of having a baby that they brought with them. This is a Heavy Burden they both are dealing with.

8. Food as symbolism • Food has many different meanings that could represent health, the time period, or wealth. For example an apple could mean temptation, it represents a biblical reference to Adam and Eve. • Example from “Hills like White Elephants”: • Alcohol–represents bitterness and tension. • The narrator uses the consumption of alcohol to represent the time period and the “awkwardness” of the situation. The time period in this story is during the prohibition era where women where “loose” and having fun. So with “Jig” being pregnant her life was slowly fading away, thus quoting the term the “Jig is up.”

9. Colors as symbolism • Colors can be extremely powerful in literature. It can be seen as a positive or negative symbol in a short story. • Examples from “The Yellow Wallpaper”: • Yellow–Represents decay, illness, betrayal, or violence. • In the Yellow Wallpaper the author uses the color yellow to represent the subordination of women in marriage.

10. Nature as symbolism • Nature is also powerful in literature. It symbolizes beauty, peace, serenity, and death. • Examples from “Hills like White Elephants”: • “Fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro”–Life with the birth of her child. • The author uses nature represents new life and rebirth.

11. Instructions for development of concept • Step 1: Before beginning the story always pay attention to the title. It could have a very strong meaning as to what the story might be saying.

12. Step 2: Read the story twice to make sure you don’t miss anything that might stand out to you. • Step 3: Make sure you know the plot and theme of the story. • Step 4: Make sure to take Notes and jot down characters names, Objects, Repetition, or ideas. • Step 5: Keep track of any detailed descriptions as they could be a clue. • Step 6: After gathering all the information you need start drawing some conclusions and make connections between the short story and the information you found.

13. Significance of component • This concept is very important in English 1302. in the short stories taught in this course, the use of symbols is what makes the story have a true deeper meaning. A symbol of something as simple as a letter or a landscape can mean so much to the story. Symbols are created as hidden messages within a short story that must be analyzed to be discovered. They help the reader get a better understanding about what the narrator or main character are seeing. A student cannot survive English 1302 without understanding the use of symbols.

14. Personal Experience with concept • When reading short stories in English 1302, I would never pay attention to what was actually being said. But I practiced and eventually I found out things in short stories that I never saw before. Looking for symbols in short stories really gave me a better understanding to what was being said. • I chose to present symbols in short stories because most people would just read the story and would think nothing of it. Symbols could have multiple messages and make the story have a true meaning.

15. Conclusion • Symbolism where a person, animal, object, or landscape is used to represent and explain the purpose of a story. Symbols can connect to a reader's to communicate a message. In English 1302, learning what symbols are can help you pass the course making sure you understand the text given to you. The reader could see and make inferences on what is actually happening or what is being said. With the tips and tricks that was given in this powerpoint can help you become a better reader.