In the story Araby by James Joyce the use of darkness and blindness is symbolic. It is a symbol of insight in Araby (Araby 1). He described the residence of the boy as blind: North Richmond Street, being blind&An uninhabited house of two storeys stood at the blind end (James 1).
This symbolizes the blindness of the area of residence and the house in which he lives. The narrator was sometimes playing with his friends till late in the evening. During one such plays, she got the attention of a girl, Mangans sister who was his age mate. The young boys gave attention to the girl.
The narrator however was caught by her thoughts and always found himself thinking about her. He said, Every morning I lay on the floor in the front palour watching her door (James 1). The narrator was blinded by the beauty of Mangans sister. He always had her image in his mind. In the busy areas such as the market her name came out into his mouth that he even said prayers which he could not understand.
Love was a mystery to this boy. For many times he had many chances to talk to the girl, but never did he express his love to her. The narrator is new to the love of a girl and does not know how to handle her.
The boy was blinded by the beauty of this girl such that he could not see other important things. He could imagine the girls company as he walked to the shop with his aunt.
This was a symbol of mixed symbolism of the Christian and the romantic or Oriental myths (Donschikowski 7): Her image accompanied me even in places most hostile to romance (James 1). He got confused when the girl asked him if he would go to Araby.
The narrator gave up religion and only had the girl as an object of worship. The narrator after hearing that the girl would not be going to the bazaar, promised to bring her something so that he could get another chance to interact with her.
Academics later became tedious and he lost concentration: At night in my bedroom and by day in the classroom her image came between me and the page I strove to read (James 1). Blindness is significant in this case. The boy was not able to see even what was written on the book he was reading but only saw the girls image wherever he went.
The boy was also blind to himself. He said that the girls name sprang to his lips at moments in strange prayers which he could not understand. He was shy and still boyish. He followed the girl of his first love, walked silently past and not making an attempt to reveal his feelings to her.
He had perhaps read many romantic novels and his expression seem to be from them. For example, he said, But my body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running out the wires (James 1). The boy goes to an extent of denying his eyes to see what he was able to see by lowering the blind at the window so that he could not be seen by people (Araby 1).
The story has many dark sites. To start with, the narrator and his friends played in the dark muddy lanes behind the houses: &to the back doors of the dark dripping gardens where odours arose from the ash pits, to the dark odorous stables (James 1).
This was significant in that it predicts a dull outcome of the story. The many episodes of darkness focus on the last part of the story: Gazing up in the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger (James 1).
The uncle and the aunt were not aware of the boys anguish as he felt isolated from love and what others termed as romance. The girls blindness to the boys love brought more disappointment to this boy. More blindness is seen because the boy did not understand his nature of love. The boys late arrival at the bazaar brought the end the love he had for Mangans sister.
The hall was closing in darkness and he related the silence in that hall to the one which he experienced in church after the service. He did not like the scene: The lady was bored with him and interested in two men who were flirting with her, cheapens and destroys the sense of an Eastern enchantment (Donschikowski 7).
His love for the girl was vanishing after realizing that his love for her was only in the mind. The reality came true at the end in the bazaar. The boy finally realized that he had to be realistic so as to achieve his dreams.
Works Cited
Araby, Joyce. Lack of insight in Araby. Help, 2011. Web.
Donschikowski. Literary Analysis Using James Joyces Araby, A thematic Approach. Thetalon, 2006. Web.
Snell, M., The Dream of the Rood , About.com. The Article provides a comprehension discussion on the poem titled The Dream of Rood. The origins of the poem in the article are stated to be in the early eighteenth century which was actually unearthed in the late nineteenth century. The context of the poem as per the article is based on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and used symbolism to describe his execution. The criticism against the poem has been highlighted pertaining to the use of pagan beliefs and values as symbolism for Christianity. Moreover, the article also discusses the concept that the poem was a deliberate attempt to bring Christianity closer to the pagans and attract them towards the religion in order to convert them.
The Dream of the Rood | Introduction , ENotes.com. The article is very organized and structured, depicting an introduction to the poem, the major plots of the poem as well as the characters in it as well as providing the contextual history of events that take place in the poem. The article also discusses the specific criticism raised for the poem pertaining to positive as well as negative reception of the poem. The positive reception related to the themes of the poem and the literary quality while the negative reception relates to the last few lines which seem to have been written by someone other than the author as they are inconsistent in quality, literary sense as well as style when compared to the rest of the book. The article also discusses the themes of the book which pertain to battle and triumph which is described as the result of the event of the crucifixion.
Scylding, The Dream of the Rood is a poem about transformation , Germania, 2004. The article by Scylding reveals the prom titled the dream of the road in a slightly different light. According to the author, the poem provides us with the passion of Christ as well as his crucifixion. The detailed description of the events leading to the crucifixion of Jesus more enhanced with the use of symbolism creates the literature an interesting read. The article also states the occurrence of the specific events which in the proem are to lead to the Day of Judgment and the rise of Christ again. The perspective of the article however is specific to Anglo Saxon culture and religion, i.e. how the poem depicts and symbolizes the Anglo Saxon traits and heritage in its context. The author of the article also discusses in his works that the poem depicts the desired characteristics that should be present in a hero/warrior, through the traits and characteristics represented in Jesus Christ. According to the author, the weak figure of Christ has been transformed into a very established and heroic [personality through the works in the prom titled The Dream of the Rood.
Treharne, E., The Dream of the Rood , The Literary Encyclopedia, 2003. Treharne the author of the article regards the work titled Dream of the Rood as a highly established, exalted, and potent work of art that is a literary authority in its own position. The article discusses the theme of the prom relating to the life of Jesus Christ, his crucifixion as well as the arrival of the Day of Judgment and the imminent resurrection of Christ himself. According to the author the in the short poem the Dream of the Rood, the narrations of the poem is done in a manner to represent the horror fear as well as awe in witnessing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and how in a symbolic manner it aided in spreading the word of Christianity to the four corners of the world. The author also provides that the poem has been translated and interpreted in numerous diverse ways by different scholars however the underlying theme of the poem is uncontested which pertains to effect the Christ has on his disciples even after his demise.
Graybill, R.V., The Dream of the Rood: Apotheosis of Anglo-Saxon Paradox. Graybill also discusses the poem titled the Dream of the Rood in the light of the Saxon beliefs and values and how it provides for the Saxon paradox. According to the author, the poem presents the true spirit of Christianity which in the world of today has been much diversified and diluted due to commercialism well as separation from the religion on part of the followers. The author also discusses the theme of the poem as being very potent, intriguing, and powerful, written as a time when the Saxons were considered to be oafs and a ridiculous race that is willing to accept the Christian missionaries. The poem lays forward the true spirit of Christianity and which is forgiveness and mercy as depicted by the author in the article.
Themes and Symbolism in The Dream of the Rood
The poem titled the Dream of the Rood is considered to be one of the earliest English literary poems about the religion of Christianity and Christ himself. The proem seems to be apparently very dark as it tends to deal extensively and in detail with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and how the crucifixion actually aided Christianity is spreading far and wide into the world. Snell describes the poem as being profound in nature and providing a glimpse into early Christian England. (Snell)
The main theme of the poem has been describing as that of a battle that is especially eloquent and apparent at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The struggle on part of the Christ and the position he faces faced with leading to his crucifixion portrays him in a positive light as being a hero and savior of the people, while in actually as history describes it, he was actually a very weak person physically who faced harshness at the hands of the Jews and the nonbelievers. The strong imagery used by the author of the poem tends to portray Christ in a very heroic light. Aside from this, the context of the poem is very religious as its presentation and eloquence tend to be based on the many hymns that are present in the religion of Christianity.
Aside from this symbolism has been extensively used in the poem as well which basically relates to the use of the cross and the depiction of the crucifixion as a happy event. The dream vision uses strong, virile images of Christ in order to reach members of the Anglo-Saxon warrior culture, who valued strength above humility. (Snell) Some of the critics of the poem have stated that this was an attempt on the part of the author of the poem to deliberately attract the pagans to Christianity and show them the relevance of the crucifixion as a battle won by the Christians.
Moreover, the use of symbolism in the poem also depicts how Christianity and the image of Jesus have been adopted by people to suit their cultures in different contexts around the world. An examination of The Dream of the Rood indicates a double-sided weltanschauung worthy of the most subtle and sophisticated. The rood is both a physical entity and a spiritual symbol, but these are not separated in the poem. Despite the fact that later Christianity divided and dichotomized the form of the spirit, The Dream of the Rood unites the physical and the spiritual in such a way that the uniting, the resolution of the paradox, is determined through deep religious faith. (Graybill) The poem also builds upon the cross which stands as a symbol for crucifixion.
The cross carries multiple meanings for Christian as it represents the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as well as provides the extent to which Christianity has spread across the world. The four corners of the cross are depicted in the poem to be the warriors of Jesus Christ at the time of the crucifixion which is depicted as a battle in the poem. The poem presents the warriors who were marred with the blood of Jesus Christ carrying with them the message of the religion of Christianity to the four corners of the world.
References
Greenblatt, Stephen, ed. The Norton Anthology of English LiteratureVol. I. 8th ed. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2005. (ISBN: 0393925315).
Snell, M., The Dream of the Rood , About.com. Web.
The Dream of the Rood | Introduction , ENotes.com. Web.
Scylding, The Dream of the Rood is a poem about transformation , Germania, 2004. Web.
Treharne, E., The Dream of the Rood , The Literary Encyclopedia, 2003. Web.
Graybill, R.V., The Dream of the Rood: Apotheosis of Anglo-Saxon Paradox . Web.
Symbolism as a literary tool has been available to writers since the very beginning of literature as such. According to its name, it implies the use of symbols in order to convey the message indirectly. A symbol as such is not tied to anything in particular it can be a person, object, or place that, apart from its actual meaning, figuratively implies a more complex context. For instance, the Sula novel written by Toni Morrison holds numerous symbols that, due to the number of possible interpretations, illustrate the true meaning behind the text ambiguity.
The Birthmark
One of the most obvious symbols presented in the novel is a large birthmark on the forehead of one of the storys protagonists Sula Peace. Due to its position and size, the natives of Bottom frequently express their visual associations, hardly being able to ignore the mark. The ambiguity of the birthmark is apparent from the authors description of the mark: The birthmark over her eye was getting darker and looked more and more like a stem and rose (Morrison 74). Particularly, the mark grew darker with Sulas age, which can be interpreted as her becoming more mature. Moreover, it also corresponds to the characters emotional state in her fight against the growing sadness.
In the meantime, the authors comparison of the birthmark with a rose contributes to Sulas feminine qualities. In this regard, Sulas feminine qualities are often contraposed to various masculine manifestations, such as the desire for freedom and independence not accessible to women of that time (Nedaee and Salami 117). The combination of these factors portrays Sula as a rather androgynous character that combines the beauty of a young female and a strong will of a committed man. The former invokes positive responses in the storys characters, whereas the latter is the reason why the Bottom community cannot accept Sula as she is.
Apart from physically distinguishing Sula from other characters, the birthmark allows readers to learn more about the people Sula meets throughout the narration. Similar to Rorschachs inkblot psychological test, it reveals the thoughts, fears, and concerns of anyone who attempts to interpret it. The characters that display negative attitudes toward Sula associate the mark with a snake, implying Sula is evil and even dangerous to society (Morrison 104). Meanwhile, Shadrack, the fisherman, sees a tadpole in it, which might imply he saw the strength and potential of youth in Sula (Morrison 156). All in all, the birthmark proves to be an ultimate symbol in the story due to its overwhelming and multifaceted ambiguity.
Fire
Fire plays an important role in the plot, namely because it is the reason behind the deaths of Sulas family members Hannah and Plum. On the one hand, fire can be considered a dreadful and destructive factor that ended Hannah and Plums lives and brought great sorrow to Sula. On the other hand, however, Morrison leaves various clues that picture the fire as beautiful and even merciful. The fires beauty is conveyed through the authors effort to describe the events in a particularly detailed fashion. In turn, the fires mercy is figuratively implied in Plums case since it managed to end his deep suffering due to war memories and heroin addiction (Morrison 45). Overall, the fires contradicting qualities can be interpreted as a symbol of life as such and its complex, ever-changing nature. In addition, fire can symbolize Sulas character as well since she can both burn and soothe in the same fashion.
The Plague of Robins
Upon Sulas return to her hometown after the long journey toward self-realization, she noticed a large flock of birds in the sky. Morrison provides an unusual description, calling it a plague of robins (89). The plague becomes the symbolic association the people of Bottom have regarding Sulas return (Pruitt 117). They are not able to accept her way of life and worldview, which is why they attempt to portray Sula as a bad omen. In this context, Morrison intentionally used the word plague, which does not fit the context of flying birds. It signalizes the subjective freedom of interpretation, or, in other words, that people see what they wish to see. Even a flock of birds can become an ominous sign if it is labeled a plague. Thus, the plague of robins symbolizes bias, once again highlighting the variety of meanings different people can have regarding the same object.
Conclusion
By providing greatly ambiguous symbols, Morrison conveys her message regarding ambiguity and the power of interpretation. Sulas birthmark proves to be the symbol with the greatest number of interpretations. Not only is it seen differently from the perspective of the books characters, but it also leaves room for readers to decide. Meanwhile, the fire that simultaneously brings dread and salvation showcases that even the most contradicting qualities can coexist within one symbol. Finally, the appearance of the plague of robins an event that can be seen both positively and negatively illustrates how subjective and willingly blind people can be in their judgment.
Works Cited
Morrison, Toni. Sula. New York: New American Library, 1987. Print.
Nedaee, Naeem, and Ali Salami. Toward an Affective Problematics: A Deleuze-Guattarian Reading of Morality and Friendship in Toni Morrisons Sula. Atlantis (Salamanca, Spain), vol. 39, no. 1, 2017, pp. 11331.
One of the main reasons why Dubliners represents one of the best literary works to address the notion of symbolism in James Joyces work is the existence of numerous paradigms, such as Irish trauma, isolation, social paralysis, and poverty. Therefore, it can be safe to say that the social identity of the Irish was carefully covered by Joyce in most of the short stories in Dubliners. From family to religion, there are numerous topics that the author operates on in order to utilize symbolism freely and see how an identity crisis is met by different members of Irish society. At the time when Dubliners was published in 1914, Irish society suffered from a strong crisis that was backed by patriotism and the drive for independence and identity.
It was an essential problem for James Joyce to reinvent the Irish identity through literature, so it was necessary for him to utilize symbolism to address some of the issues. In a sense, Dubliners is a work about awareness, desires, and actions that ultimately contributed to the Irish gaining their social and cultural identity. Even though there are various metaphors for independence, the author of the current paper is going to look into Dubliners to find out how symbolism contributed to the Irish overcoming the identity crisis. With the aid of four short stories from Dubliners The Sisters, The Dead, The Araby, and An Encounter the author intends to cover the aspect of Irish social identity and norms as being discovered through the interface of symbols concerning Ireland and the Irish as a nation.
The Sisters is one of the most critiquing parts of Dubliners because it plays around with religious and ethical topics that touch upon everyday life and individual struggles. One of the main tasks for the characters in The Sisters is to find a believable truth and side with it. The topic of social conformity runs through the novel, and Joyce tries to highlight the established beliefs that might have a negative effect on the Irish. Nevertheless, The Sisters represents one large symbol hinting at the Irish social identity through ideology and language: We blessed ourselves and came away (Joyce). It is shown by the author that the main characters of the story hardly try to overturn the existing ideological structures (Eskandari 313). For the most part, it happens because Irish morality and national identity have already shaped them into obedient members of the community who do not object or revolt before the situation reaches the worst possible outcomes. This is why Joyce introduces the character of Nannie in The Sisters, a clumsy personality that has trouble interacting with others.
The symbol that Joyce tries to convey in The Sisters is the passive nature of the Irish nature that averts local people from changing their lives for the better. Throughout the story, Nannie tends to sit behind her sister, which displays her inherent obedience and the lack of somewhat of a rebel character. This portrayal is also accompanied by Nannies visual clumsiness because she tends to dress awkwardly, which is another nod to the Irish and their lack of confidence and unwillingness to stand out among others (Roos 215). Throughout The Sisters, Nannies behavior becomes more and more inappropriate. At a certain point, she even falls asleep in front of guests: Nannie had leaned her head against the sofa-pillow and seemed about to fall asleep (Joyce). Not only is this a stereotypical view of female characters in Dubliners, but this is a hint at how the Irish circumscribed themselves to remain passive and comforting. Similar to contemporary women, Irish people functioned as servants to the cultural imperatives that made them passive and unwilling to transform their everyday lives.
In An Encounter, Joyce also exploits the topic of paralysis to reach valuable, detailed social identity representations. The characters in this story pursue only one objective to escape their routine lives and fight the boredom. Nevertheless, their adventure-seeking behaviors get overshadowed quickly by their willingness to remain obedient and turn their back on anything that might separate them from the routine (Gaeini et al. 96). Joyce portrays the main characters of the story as young schoolboys to develop an understanding of how the Irish are learning to endure the routine from the very childhood: When we were tired of this sight we wandered slowly into Ringsend (Joyce). The topic of creating excitement is one of the most often addressed in Joyces writing, so it is crucial to look at the main characters as a symbol of the Irish people. Thus, An Encounter criticizes the whole Irish society because of its keenness on remaining in isolation and maintaining a passive stance.
Therefore, An Encounter portrays the Irish as a nation of overthinkers who miss out on the majority of their opportunities because of ignoring the importance of changing the routine. The young schoolboys skip school to visit the The Pigeon House in Dublin (Ferhi and Zerar 277). Upon their arrival, the boys are confronted by a strange old man who eventually scares them with his creepiness and weird questions. The main characters of the story start feeling uneasy and come up with fake names in order to protect themselves from any drastic consequences of talking to the weird old man: I saw him walking slowly away from us towards the near end of the field (Joyce). The narrator experiences a natural speech paralysis when he hears that the weird old man fantasizes about spanking one of the boys. In a sense, the story shows that the Irish are discouraged from changing their lives because they expect that something bad is going to happen to them.
The inability to access a new, healthy routine disrupts the lives of those willing to pursue their dreams and go to Dublin to find all the answers. This is why Joyce criticizes the Irish and makes it tangible that the majority of them were too obedient to escape the burden of the old routine. Even though his use of symbols is too lopsided in An Encounter and does not leave room for any alternatives, the overall mood is evident. As soon as the Irish recognize that the old routine is not as dangerous, they will never try to change their lives again in the future: We were serious to the point of solemnity (Joyce). Regardless, the idea is that no one should let the circumstances affect their change-related decisions, especially if those decisions are aimed at transforming ones life and pursuing unconventional desires. As a voluntary exile, Joyce could have written An Encounter to motivate the Irish to leave Dublin and pursue their dreams somewhere else.
The Araby is a short story written by James Joyce to showcase the importance of contemporary Ireland not being represented properly. The presence of historical and geographic specifics ultimately separated Ireland from the rest of the world. This is why Joyce often touches upon the topic of socializing agency and capitalizes on the idea of displacement as an essential contributor to the development of national identity (Maniee and Mansouri 205). Thus, the problem of national representation becomes a unique mix of obstacles related to achievements and a common vision that unites the Irish. With Joyces help, the representation of social identity goes beyond the aesthetics of politics. This means that Ireland is seen by Joyce as a realm that has been overpowered by political movements that did not bring any real value to the table. Accordingly, The Araby is a symbolic short story because it dwells on how politics absorb individuals and make it harder to escape the day-to-day struggle of Irish politics.
In The Araby, Joyce capitalizes on how the Irish society became politicized and craved to participate in the socio-economic life of the country. Prior to discussing the symbols in this short story, it is important to contextualize the findings by pointing out how Joyce epitomizes modernization. When he describes modern Ireland, he often resorts to the sentiments of hindrance and disturbance (Jok 324). Joyce ultimately considers contemporary Ireland to be a failure due to the increasing stagnation and stillness that were linked to the English pressure and other atrocities. Without a certain direction, the Irish society had to go through a state of paralysis that was preceded by a complete spiritual void. In Dubliners, quite a few characters struggle with different types of paralysis because they are either unable or unwilling to break the vicious circle and avoid routine actions in the future. Instead of pursuing dreams, characters tend to live their common lives and give in to the routine.
Overall, The Araby contains some of the best figurative examples hinting at the lack of social identity in the Irish. Joyce introduces the readers to three female characters the boys love interest, the boys aunt, and the stall attendant. The boy is the narrator of the story who experiences frustration throughout the story, with each of the characters being a representation of a certain paralysis (Heininge 268). For example, the stall attendant and the narrators love interest are mere symbols of people not being able to escape the system. They are treated as sexual objects, with no right or willingness to alter the state of affairs and gain freedom. This is a hint at contemporary Irish politics. Joyce uses female characters to strengthen the effect of this symbolic comparison when the narrator visits the bazaar.
For instance, the narrators aunt is an example of a character affected by the lack of social identity because she is barely invested in what goes on around her. When the boy informs her of going to the Araby market for the first time, the aunt is surprised. The only subject that concerns her is if it is not some kind of Freemason affair (Joyce 3). This is a slight hint at how many people overlook what goes on around them in order to remain engaged in their own routine. The Araby was written by Joyce to highlight the importance of keeping up with the latest updates in the area of politics in order to avoid stagnation. The narrators aunt is the biggest symbol of social identity malfunction because she does not care about anything except her routine. Thus, Joyce appeals to the audience by highlighting the fact that the aesthetics of politics cannot be overlooked when one expects to change their life and achieve something new.
Based on how Joyce describes the Irish in The Dead, it can be concluded that the main characters of the story are trapped in routine, just like any other characters from The Araby, The Sisters, and An Encounter. During one of the monologues taking place in The Dead, the spokesman touches upon the topic of the annual parties being an opportunity to trap the guests and make them dependent on such hospitality (Fuchs 281). This is a symbol of the Irish remaining seriously contingent on how England treated them throughout the years with no chance to break the routine. Thus, each of the guests visiting the aunts house is an Irish person depending on the mainland. The Dubliners seem to approve of this connection because they have no other choice but to accept their association with the English. Joyce carefully utilizes this symbol to help the readers recognize the impact of external influence on the Irish.
The biggest hint at the connection between Northern Ireland and England is the story told by Gabriel about a horse named Jonny. Throughout its whole life, it was supposed to pull on the starch mill. It quickly became a habit for the horse, but Johnnys owner decided to go for a ride instead of going to the mill. Nevertheless, when walking near the mill, the horse began walking around the statue of King Billy as if it was supposed to go back to pulling on the starch mill again (Ferhi and Zerar 273). It is a story about a horse that Joyce utilizes to force the audience to read between the lines and recognize how the Dubliners and Britain are interconnected. It shows how the Irish are still turning around the statue even when they have been freed from the routine.
The conclusion that can be made after looking at the symbols left by Joyce throughout The Dead is that Irish people are closely linked to the Mother Land and its impact on their everyday lives. Indeed, the textual evidence in Dubliners indicates an exceptionally strong connection to their native land in the main characters. Specifically, The Dead features an array of details that point t the wistful sense of nostalgia for the native land and the need to reconnect with ones roots. For instance, one of the characters starts speaking in a distinctively Dublin accent when lowering his voice to a whisper (Joyce).
Moreover, the elements of Irish culture are mentioned throughout the story in a seemingly unintentional yet very insistent manner, thus, evoking the sense of nostalgia in the reader and establishing a strong emotional connection between the protagonist and his native land. For instance, during some of the key points in the story, the Irish quadrille is mentioned: A red-faced young woman, dressed in pansy, came into the room, excitedly clapping her hands and crying: Quadrilles! Quadrilles! (Joyce). By rendering the impact that the sounds of the traditional Irish music have on the characters, Joyce manages to convey the full gamut of emotions that the character experiences when remembering his motherland. Remarkably, even though the Irish quadrille is only mentioned in passing, it still adds a unique touch of colorful detail to the portrait of the protagonists native land, thus, allowing the reader to picture it and relate to the protagonists longing for reconnecting with his roots.
Thus, at any given moment, the Irish could associate themselves with fish in an aquarium since they did not have to do anything to remain satisfied with their lives. Therefore, the Dubliners are not prone to risking their everyday routine to overcome the consequences of being freed: I felt even annoyed at discovering in myself a sensation of freedom as if I had been freed from something by his death (Joyce). Similar to Jonny, Joyce considered the Dubliners unable to stay away from doing certain things out of habit, even if there were no external forces to impose limitations on them.
In all of the short stories reviewed within the framework of the current essay, the readers could find symbols hinting at the troubles the Irish had attempting to accept their new social identity. The instances of stereotypical thinking and behaviors were included in the stories to show how many Dubliners were not able to become either British or Irish. Thus, Joyce plays around with the main characters cultural incompetence and lack of awareness to hint at the inability of the Dubliners to identify with either Ireland or Britain. The characters are not able to escape the routine because they are not willing to persevere uncertainty and the need to escape paralysis. In a sense, Dubliners is an important literary artwork because it displays the cyclical nature of social identity misrepresentations and their impact on individual citizens and the whole nation.
Works Cited
Eskandari, Safoura. Social and Religion Paralysis in James Joyces Short Story The Sisters : A Cultural Reading. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute-Journal (BIRCI-Journal), vol. 3, no. 1, 2020, pp. 311-320.
Ferhi, Samir, and Sabrina Zerar. James Joyce and Critical Resistance in Dubliners: A Postcolonial Perspective. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, vol. 12, no. 1, 2019, pp. 267-285.
Fuchs, Dieter. James Joyces The Dead and Macrobiuss Saturnalia: The Menippean Encyclopedic Tradition and the Mythical Method. James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 57, no. 3, 2020, pp. 275-292.
Gaeini, Mojgan, et al. The Role of Social Identity in James Joyces Dubliners within the Light of Cultural Materialism. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute (BIRCI-Journal): Humanities and Social Sciences, vol. 2, no. 2, 2019, pp. 89-99.
Heininge, Kathleen. The Way Out of Paralysis: Joyce and the Habitual Present Tense. James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 57, no. 3, 2020, pp. 263-273.
Jok, Laura. Sounds and Impostures: James Joyces Poetic Prose. James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 56, no. 3, 2019, pp. 311-332.
Maniee, Pedram, and Shahriyar Mansouri. A Post-Colonial Study of the Short Story Araby (1914) by James Joyce. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 8, no. 2, 2017, pp. 201-208.
Roos, Bonnie. Spies in Joyces The Sisters : Allegorical Histories, the Irish Rebellion, and The Count of Monte Cristo. Joyce Studies Annual, vol. 2018, no. 1, 2018, pp. 195-233.
In the story Araby by James Joyce the use of darkness and blindness is symbolic. It is a symbol of insight in Araby (Araby 1). He described the residence of the boy as blind: North Richmond Street, being blind&An uninhabited house of two storeys stood at the blind end (James 1).
This symbolizes the blindness of the area of residence and the house in which he lives. The narrator was sometimes playing with his friends till late in the evening. During one such plays, she got the attention of a girl, Mangans sister who was his age mate. The young boys gave attention to the girl.
The narrator however was caught by her thoughts and always found himself thinking about her. He said, Every morning I lay on the floor in the front palour watching her door (James 1). The narrator was blinded by the beauty of Mangans sister. He always had her image in his mind. In the busy areas such as the market her name came out into his mouth that he even said prayers which he could not understand.
Love was a mystery to this boy. For many times he had many chances to talk to the girl, but never did he express his love to her. The narrator is new to the love of a girl and does not know how to handle her.
The boy was blinded by the beauty of this girl such that he could not see other important things. He could imagine the girls company as he walked to the shop with his aunt.
This was a symbol of mixed symbolism of the Christian and the romantic or Oriental myths (Donschikowski 7): Her image accompanied me even in places most hostile to romance (James 1). He got confused when the girl asked him if he would go to Araby.
The narrator gave up religion and only had the girl as an object of worship. The narrator after hearing that the girl would not be going to the bazaar, promised to bring her something so that he could get another chance to interact with her.
Academics later became tedious and he lost concentration: At night in my bedroom and by day in the classroom her image came between me and the page I strove to read (James 1). Blindness is significant in this case. The boy was not able to see even what was written on the book he was reading but only saw the girls image wherever he went.
The boy was also blind to himself. He said that the girls name sprang to his lips at moments in strange prayers which he could not understand. He was shy and still boyish. He followed the girl of his first love, walked silently past and not making an attempt to reveal his feelings to her.
He had perhaps read many romantic novels and his expression seem to be from them. For example, he said, But my body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running out the wires (James 1). The boy goes to an extent of denying his eyes to see what he was able to see by lowering the blind at the window so that he could not be seen by people (Araby 1).
The story has many dark sites. To start with, the narrator and his friends played in the dark muddy lanes behind the houses: &to the back doors of the dark dripping gardens where odours arose from the ash pits, to the dark odorous stables (James 1).
This was significant in that it predicts a dull outcome of the story. The many episodes of darkness focus on the last part of the story: Gazing up in the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger (James 1).
The uncle and the aunt were not aware of the boys anguish as he felt isolated from love and what others termed as romance. The girls blindness to the boys love brought more disappointment to this boy. More blindness is seen because the boy did not understand his nature of love. The boys late arrival at the bazaar brought the end the love he had for Mangans sister.
The hall was closing in darkness and he related the silence in that hall to the one which he experienced in church after the service. He did not like the scene: The lady was bored with him and interested in two men who were flirting with her, cheapens and destroys the sense of an Eastern enchantment (Donschikowski 7).
His love for the girl was vanishing after realizing that his love for her was only in the mind. The reality came true at the end in the bazaar. The boy finally realized that he had to be realistic so as to achieve his dreams.
Works Cited
Araby, Joyce. Lack of insight in Araby. Help, 2011. Web.
Donschikowski. Literary Analysis Using James Joyces Araby, A thematic Approach. Thetalon, 2006. Web.
The issue of representing women in media has always been complicated, due to the changes in womens role in the society and perception of women from weak and dependable to strong and self-reliant over the past few decades. Despite the obvious tendencies to portray women from a chauvinistic perspective in most media for an impressively long period (Williamson, 1987b), in the twentieth and twenty-first century, feminist tendencies have been introduced into new and popular media. However, because of the specifics of the current popular culture, the effects of feminist ideas in media can be driven to nil, which the recent controversial advertisement of Killer Queen perfume shows in a very graphic manner.
It is quite peculiar that the given advertisement can be used as the ultimate proof for Karl Marxs statement concerning commodities representing social relations among things and material relations among persons (Marx). Indeed, considering the advertisement closer, one will be able to spot numerous implications concerning the social links between people and objects (Goldman, 2013a). To start with, the crown on Katy Perrys head can be interpreted as an indicator of social status, with the scepter enhancing the given impression and, thus, sending the audience the message concerning the nobility of the product. The skimpy dress, in its turn, creates a contrast with the previously mentioned item. Another important detail of the given advertisement, the red color is used as a symbol. Even though the idea of using red color as a metaphor of passion seems to have worn out its welcome quite a while ago, in the given picture, the red color does create an atmosphere of passion.
The most interesting part of the analysis, however, concerns the ideological aspect of the product (Williamson, 1987c). On the one hand, the given product seems to spur female empowerment in the postmodern pop-cultural, consumerist world. Indeed, some of the elements can be interpreted as a graphic manifestation of feminist ideas, e.g., the scepter as the symbol of power and the portrayal of a woman as the beholder of this power. However, after considering the rest of the details, such as the overly sexualized image embodied by Katy Perry, the semantics of the color (Williamson, 1987a) and the pose that the model strikes, one will see inevitably that the given advertisement was created to satisfy the tastes of the chauvinist audience.
The commercial featuring the Killer Queen perfume makes one ponder over how inanimate products embody social relations and human values. Casting a glance at the advertisement under discussion is enough to realize that the concept embodied in it could emerge only in the society that lacks equality in gender relationships (Goldman, 2013). The given advertisement is a peculiar commentary on modern society, with its idea of creating an overly sexualized image of a woman as a role model to promote to young women and teenage girls with the help of mass media. The given advertisement, therefore, shifts the emphasis from selfhood to transforming ones self to fit into the current trends.
Therefore, it must be admitted that the advertisement in question is a product of its time (Williamson, 1987), colorful, dull, and plastic to the point where it becomes an element of a Barbie-style commercial. Being targeted at a specific audience, the product knows what exactly it needs to be, and it incorporates every detail of the glamorous, thoughtless, and alluring fashion-meets-celebrity reality. Killer Queen was bound to become a hit, and a somewhat tasteless commercial only cemented its success.
Reference List
Goldman, R. (2013). Subjectivity in a bottle: Commodity form and advertising form. In R. Goldman (Ed.), Reading ads socially (pp. 1536).New York, NY: Routledge. Web.
Goldman, R. (2013). Advertising and the production of commodity-signs. In R. Goldman (Ed.), Reading ads socially (pp. 3760).New York, NY: Routledge. Web.
Marx, K. (1867). Capital (vol. I). Web.
Williamson, J. (1987). Introduction. In D. McQuail (Ed.), McQuails reader in mass communication theory (pp. 1114). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Web.
Williamson, J. (1987). Part I: Advertising work. In D. McQuail (Ed.), McQuails reader in mass communication theory (pp. 1519). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Web.
Williamson, J. (1987). Chapter one: A currency of signs. In D. McQuail (Ed.), McQuails reader in mass communication theory (pp. 2039). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Web.
Williamson, J. (1987). Chapter two: Signs address somebody. In D. McQuail (Ed.), McQuails reader in mass communication theory (pp. 4070). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Web.
For foreigners, Moscow is a relatively chaotic and unstable city. This is evident in the architecture, which is a combination of different historical periods which had a strong influence on the appearance. For Russians, Moscow is perceived quite differently. However, it is worth noting the remarkable influence of history and how the city acquired its importance as the Third Rome . Writers and other historical figures note that Moscow is a city loaded with unnecessary things. However, in general, it is perceived as an integral part of the cultural identity associated with Orthodoxy and the attitude of Russians to Moscow as a Mother .
The Kremlin
The Kremlin is a fortified complex that dates back to the 14th century and has served as the center of power in Russia for most of its history since then. However, the Kremlin was not only the political heart of Russia but also its religious center. Each century Moscow has lived has been marked by large-scale architectural projects implemented on the territory of the Kremlin. Initially, the Kremlin was perceived as the cultural center of Russia, as Orthodox churches were built under various tsars. However, later it began to acquire political significance, becoming first the Romanovs residence, then a place associated with the USSRs and modern Russias government. The Moscow Kremlin is a symbol of interstate, interethnic pacification. It is a symbol of the struggle for peace and not only repulses attacks from the West, East, and South. The Kremlin has value of internal and external order and justice.
Conclusion
Summing up, it should be noted that Moscow has a unique historical significance for Russia, as it is a symbol of its cultural identity. It is perceived relatively differently by residents but has remarkable and exceptional features and characteristics. The Kremlin has been conceptualized and changed throughout history. However, it was and remained one of the most significant architectural monuments demonstrating the historical values of Russia.
Young Goodman Brown is a well-known short story written by an outstanding American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. This story is considered to be deeply psychological and grabs readers attention by its symbolism and imaginative expression; the author managed to reflect the contradictory world of the good and evil humanity sides. It is a life story of gradual human change making the character perceive the world and his existence differently. Young Goodman Brown refers to the greatest works of the world literature due to its expressiveness and emotionality reflected through the characters behavior and story events.
There is a tendency to believe that the story is aimed at exploration of social and psychological effects of characters guilty knowledge. The protagonist of the story, Brown, is completely secure and self-confident in the knowledge of the world having the nature he believes in. The introduction of the Devil was used to change moral makeup of the character and his perception of surrounding people and the world in general.
There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world is given. (Hawthorne, 1835).
The story under analysis is very interesting due to its symbolism. For example, the name of Browns wife being Faith is considered to be symbolically expressed through the authors aspect of human faith lost by the protagonist. The author managed to embody Browns faith in humanity and God in the Browns wife who is presented as a tangible symbol of characters faith.
Well, shes a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night, Ill cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven (Hawthorne, 1835).
When Brown refers to his wife, he indirectly addresses his faith in life; she is personified through Browns childhood and immature innocence. Nevertheless, the author shows gradual growth of Browns inner world and his consciousness. He tends to realize the things being beyond understanding earlier.
My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him&shall I be the first of the name of Brown, that ever took this path (Hawthorne, 1835).
The experience got by Brown brought him much disappointment; it was disappointment in people and in the world. It is connected with the fact that Brown came to self-realization. He understood that he was sinful as well as all people surrounding him, the realization of this personal nature opened him to another world of evil. He came to the point he hated a lot; that case changed his personal moral makeup turning it from optimistic and enthusiastic into hardened and jaded. His new nature made him perceive people differently; it was a deep and significant experience for Brown making him realize the reality he lives in.
Goodman Brown looked sternly and sadly into her face, and passed on without a greeting. (Hawthorne, 1835).
Such considerations made by the character result in life despair and cynical and loveless future life of Brown. (Paey, 2006).
Short story Young Goodman Brown relates to significant psychological works of literature. It is a thought-provoking and sophisticated description of human inner development and moral formation. The story discloses the case of disappointing experiences faced by every person in life. It is important to stress that the story is rather pessimistic though it is close to life and involves the readers in the contradictory world of good and evil.
References
Paey, Stephanie. Symbolism and Human Nature in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown. 2006.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Young Goodman Brown. 1835. Web.
Symbols are the types of stylistic devices which writers use in order to extend peoples perception of the story. Symbolism is a very frequently used way of text representation. This special type allows the writer not to express his/her ideas directly. The expression of the plot and authors thoughts are provided through different symbols. There are a lot of different examples of symbolic literature. The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck is a great example of authors using of symbols in the story to illustrate Elisa Allen. The change in Elisas mood is directly reflected on flowers.
Main Text
Elisa Allen is the wife of one farmer, who did not pay much attention to his wife. The only Elisas joy was her flowers which cared about greatly. Elisa wanted to love and to be loved. This desire is seen in her behavior, how she cares about flowers: as if her care about flowers could be directed on her. Elisa wanted to love and wanted to be loved. Her care about flowers symbolizes her desire to care about herself n order to gain her husbands attention. The husbands low attention is seen from Elisas appearance description, Her face lean and strong&Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a mans black hat pulled low&clod-hopper shoes&completely covered by a big corduroy apron& (Steinbeck 2002)
The phrase I wish youd work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big (Steinbeck 2002) shows how little Elisas husband cares about his wifes chrysanthemums. The fact that chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa Allen in this situation shows Elisas husbands relation to her, his low interest to her.
The confirmation of the fact that flowers symbolize Elisa is also shown in the situation, where a man (the author never named his name) became interested in Elisa. The author never told the reader that the man began to be interested in Elisa: he was interested in flowers.
Whats them plants, maam?
Oh, those are chrysanthemums, giant whites and yellows. I raise them every year, bigger than anybody around here.
Kind of a long-stemmed flower? Looks like a quick puff of colored smoke? he asked.
Thats it. What a nice way to describe them. (Steinbeck 2002)
This conversation started with Elisa being irritated. After the first phrase, The irritation and resistance melted from Elisas face (Steinbeck 2002). Elisa understood that she interested somebody as woman and she was happy about that. That happiness was impossible to not to notice: Whywhy, Elisa. You look so nice! (Steinbeck 2002), her husband said. At that moment Elisa was compared with the flowers, she was also the same beautiful and in blossom.
The situation with the flower thrown away is also very symbolic. It tells us Elisa, like flower was used by that man and when he was tired of her just threw it way, like the flower from the car. That is all.
The last phrase in the story may be also interpreted in different ways. She turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly like an old woman. (Steinbeck 2002) The connection of the Elisa with flowers may offer some interpretations of this phrase. The man, who she trusted, had betrayed her, by throwing away her flowers and she was like that thrown away flower, abandoned and hurt.
Conclusion
In sum, the flowers in the story represented Elisa, her mood, character and other facts which influenced her life. When she was happy, her flowers were also in blossom, and when the man abandoned her the flowers were on the ground.
Works Cited
Steinbeck, John. The Chrysanthemums. The Gale Group , 2002.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North recounts the tale of Bashos actual excursion through Japan. It additionally tells the account of better places in Japan and a portion of its set of experiences. It is the narrative of Bashos excursion toward truth, disclosure, and edification. When creators need to recommend a specific mindset or feeling, they use imagery to indicate it instead of simply glaringly saying it. In Bashos movement composing, the writer utilizes symbolism to mirror his mental state around the weather during his takeoff on a traveling tends. He incorporates depictions of the sky, the season, and nature to impart his sentiments at the hour of setting out on a trip.
Basho sees life as an excursion that must be voyaged continually. In the initial passage of the traveling journal, Basho notes time is a voyager in the continuum of forever. From this perspective, the whole journey itself symbolizes life. Given this agreement, it gets the job done to presume that Basho is propelled to go by life. This attestation clarifies why in another space, he admits that he cannot keep remaining at home inactive. To the creator, when one quits voyaging, the individual in question quits living, and along these lines, the person cant bear the cost of that exorbitant slip-up of biting the dust from within yet truly alive.
Furthermore, in The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Basho sets out on a spring day in the predawn. The predawn is a period of quietness and calm, and the person portrays the waiting haziness and bit of moon in the sky. This image establishes the vibe for Bashos excursion as profound and more contemplative. In the work, blossoms and different plants are normal types of season words. They situate a sonnet in a particular season, like the principal long stretches of spring. Cherry blossoms are a significant and regularly utilized season pointer in Japanese writing. Basho integrates them in the line, late cherry blossoms & let my master see the pine, to imply the period of pre-summer. Cherry blooms additionally have more profound importance in Japanese literature. They are an image of magnificences fleetingness and regularly represent a transient state.
The blossoms are likewise saying goodbye since they are late in their season. Basho meets each excellent sight, each spot, every individual for an hour or a little while and afterward continues. The cherry blooms will before long fall, and the season will keep on evolving. This sentence demonstrates that the cherry trees are close to the end of their blossoming, so spring is the last part. The goodbye is additionally a reference to the progression of time and an overall feeling of brevity. The fundamental idea of Bashos account depends on a feeling of transition. He is continually saying goodbye to spots and individuals, which is important for the excursions excellence. The cherry blossoms delicate and brief nature is essential for its magnificence.
In conclusion, the writer recounts to the reader the narrative of each place he visits. Throughout the story, he presents the poem to take a picture or indicate how he connects with each journeys progression. The author creatively integrates symbolism in the poem to characterize his mood change through natural phenomena. The way that the distant regions of Japan were rarely investigated during the Edo Period made the verse in Bashos journals more symbolic: the disclosure of an individuals inward wild and hidden realities about oneself.