The same as in the past, these days, one needs to study the Bible thoroughly to understand it better. One of the aspects of the Bible that should be paid more attention to is the tabernacle, which plays a significant role in the Old Testament. People need to analyze the study about the tabernacle and its symbolism to gather more insight into the Word of God.
The Tabernacle
First, to understand the study about the tabernacle, one should look at its meaning. The tabernacle was intended for God to be able to live among people (Arnold & Bryant, 2015). His followers were supposed to make “a sanctuary” for God to “dwell,” and the word “tabernacle” can be translated as “dwelling place” (Holy Bible, 1975, Exod. 25:8; Arnold & Bryant, 2015, p. 81). The tabernacle’s description is provided in chapters 25-31 of Exodus with details on its construction, including the colors that were meant to be used, such as blue, purple, and scarlet (Holy Bible, 1975; Arnold & Bryant, 2015). Chapters 35-39 of Exodus exhibit people’s obedience in following God’s instructions and creating the tabernacle with all the details, including “its tent” and “hooks” (Holy Bible, 1975, Exod. 35:11; Arnold & Bryant, 2015, p. 82). Finally, chapter 40 describes the rise of the tabernacle, which was filled with “the glory of the Lord,” meaning that people created a movable place of God (Holy Bible, 1975, Exod. 40:35; Arnold & Bryant, 2015). The tabernacle represents a transportable tent constructed for God to dwell among people.
The Symbolism of the Tabernacle
Next, the study about the tabernacle can be explained through its symbolism. The tabernacle was meant for God to be amidst the people of Israel on their journey across the desert, so they would be able to worship the Lord (Arnold & Bryant, 2015). With that being said, the earthly tabernacle symbolizes a miniature copy of the heavenly tabernacle where God originally dwells (Caneday, 2020). Before, God communicated with people in the form of “pillars of fire and smoke,” but with the tabernacle, He was able to join them in the desert (Arnold & Bryant, 2015, p. 81). While it did not encompass God’s true presence on earth, the tabernacle served as a manifestation of his appearance (Caneday, 2020). Moreover, as the insides of the tabernacle were divided, it can be seen to indicate people’s restricted access to God even on earth (Caneday, 2020). Furthermore, the tabernacle symbolizes a place for the Messiah to arrive from heaven and end sacrifices (Caneday, 2020). The symbolism of the tabernacle can be seen as a rather simple representation of God’s dwelling place in heaven and as an expectation of good things to come.
Conclusion
To summarize, the study about the tabernacle explains its significance for the people of Israel in their journey across the desert. The tabernacle was created to indicate that God was among people who acquired a place of worshiping the Lord. The symbolism of the tabernacle signifies God’s presence in a tent that reflects His original sanctuary in heaven and represents an expectation of something good and holy. In Exodus, God gave people detailed instructions on the construction of the tabernacle, so He could dwell in a setting appropriate for Him, and people obeyed, so they could feel His presence. As the tabernacle made God closer to people, it also provided them with a sense of protection and comfort.
References
Arnold, B. R. & Bryant E. B. (2015). Encountering the Old Testament: A christian survey. Baker Academic.
Caneday, A. B. (2020). God’s parabolic design for Israel’s tabernacle: A cluster of earthly shadows of heavenly realities. The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, 24(1), 103-124.
The combination of peoples beliefs, natural phenomena, and socio-cultural conditions led to the increase of the role of artefacts in the life of society. Today, the development of science and technology has resulted in some individuals abandoning their mythical and religious beliefs. However, many people still hold on to their supernatural beliefs and traditions.
The fact is that the majority of modern objects of worship are connected with the religion, as people need to believe in a phenomenon they cannot explain. As the paper reveals, one of them, Mecca, the sacred city of all Muslims, could be taken as the greatest artefact of the modern world, which has an outstanding influence on the life of millions of people all over the world. This city is the main symbol of the Muslim faith. It has its unique history, which the paper seeks to present. Nevertheless, several aspects should be analysed to understand Meccas symbolism and importance to people.
The History
The account of Mecca is closely associated with Ishmael’s birth line.1 Hubal was the central pagan goddess who had been positioned in this place by the Quraysh community up to the seventh century. In the 5th century, the Quraysh community had taken over Mecca. The people had become trained businesspeople. By the sixth century, the people had also ventured into the flavour business because conflicts in different areas of the globe were causing business courses to turn away to hazardous paths through the ocean.2
Mecca’s business reputation outshined Palmyra and the Petra metropolitans. However, the Sassanids did not always threaten Mecca until 575 CE. As Lewis asserts, they had sheltered this municipality against the Kingdom of Axum, which was headed by Christian organiser.3 With the help of the Persians, Arabians prohibited the extension of Christianity in Arabia and Mecca. The unforgiving hot topography and surroundings of the Arabian Stretch implied a steady situation of wrangles among the neighbouring ethnic groups.
However, once in a year, these tribes would declare a ceasefire and meet in Mecca in the annual festival of prayer and worship. Until the 7th century, this trip was meant for religious purposes. It was set aside for the Arabs who wished to honour the holy place and/or fetch water from the Zamzam oasis. It was also a time of reconciliation. This yearly occasion offered the ethnic groups a sense of belonging and a universal distinctiveness, thus giving the city of Mecca a vital spotlight that captured the attention of people around the globe.
Prophet Mohammad and the Conquest of Mecca
Based on the Islamic faith, the account of Mecca can be traced to the time of Abraham who is believed to have established the Kaaba together with his descendant Ishmael.4 This establishment took place in 2000 BCE. During the period, the inhabitants of this region, which was then known as the Bakkah, had fallen from monotheism through the influence of the Amalekites. It is believed that Prophet Mohammad was born in 570AD in Mecca. Thus, according to Glubb, Islam has since been linked with Mecca.5 Prophet Mohammad was a Hashemite, a negligible clan of the Quraysh.
According to Islam teachings, Glubb reveals how Muhammad started getting his heavenly disclosures from Allah through Archangel Gabriel around 610 AD.6 He advocated for Abraham Monotheism against the paganism. As a result, the non-believers mistreated him for close to 15 years, although he later fled to Yathrib with his friends around 620 AD. Muslims declared Mecca the most sacred region. Hence, as Ja’fari reveals, it was destined as the hub of their pilgrimage, which is among Islam’s pillar.7
Even after his death in 632 AD, the sense of unanimity he passed to his Ummah led to the speedy growth. In a few hundred years, Islam had spread to other regions all over the world.8 With this growth, the City of Mecca continued to draw pilgrims who came to observe their yearly Hajj pilgrimage. Over the years, this metropolitan has fascinated many academicians and religious Muslims who have shown interest in staying near the Kaaba. Kaaba is one of the relics and the main Meccas work of art. Pilgrims all over the world try to reach and touch it. Kaaba is situated in the centre of another Muslims sanctuary the Al-Masjid al-Haram mosque. Millions of people who perform the Hajj gather here.
However, Kaaba was built not by Muslims. The facts show that pagans, who lived in the area before the Arab conquerors, also took it as the object of worship, considering it their great sanctuary. Besides, the new owners of the land did not destroy it since it had become a very important place for them. Kaaba is a cubic building of about 13m high. It is made of marble and some other materials, which make it look mysterious. Inside the building, marble and limestone are also used. A special coverlet called kiswah covers Kaaba. The coverlet is changed once a year. It is also important to mention the Black Stone, which is inbuilt in Kaabas wall. Pagan tribes added it. However, since Mohammad did not destroy it, it became one of the main Muslims artefacts.
Destruction of Historic Buildings
During the Saudi empire, since mid-1980s, approximately 98% of Mecca’s momentous structures, some of which had been in existence for beyond 1000 years, have been shattered. Mecca’s remarkable religious sites that have been smashed include five of the seven famous mosques, which are believed to be built by Prophet Muhhamas’ daughter and four of his closest companions. Currently, close to 20 structures that traced back to the epoch of Prophet Muhammad remain. Other essential structures that have been shattered include the house that belonged to the wife of Muhammad.
This house was demolished to make way for lavatory construction. Muhammad’s hometown was damaged to generate room for a bookstore. Moreover, the Ajyad towers were also damaged to put up Abraj Al Bait Towers. The demolition of such many chronological structures followed the need to create room for the erection of parking lots, residential houses, restaurants, and other developments.
Others were shattered aimlessly. For example, the ruler demanded the obliteration of Ali-Oraid residential home because he was afraid it would turn into a pilgrimage base. However, even with the materialisation of expertise and new infrastructure, the Kaaba has been preserved over the years. Muslims all over the world still visit the same place that was visited thousands of years ago by the great prophets and teachers for their spiritual fulfilment. This visitation brings the issue of pilgrimage, which the paper discusses in details.
Pilgrimage
Mecca’s Hajj has drawn many Muslims from every corner of the earth. Pilgrimage appears in two classes, namely Hajj and Umrah. The superior pilgrimage, Hajj, is conducted annually in Mecca and its environs. During this period, many Muslims pray in harmony. According to Al-Olaqi, every strong and economically able adult is required to travel to Mecca to perform the Hajj at least once in his or her life span.9 Umrah, which is the minor Hajj, is not necessary, although it is suggested in the Islamic faith. Muslims often conduct Umrah while visiting Masjid al-Haram.
Several accidents have been reported in Mecca. In 1990, a pilgrimage became a tragic scene when the aeration system broke down in a busy passageway. More than 1400 people suffocated while the rest were trampled to death in a stampede. According to Meysamie and Arkadani, 700 Muslims lost their lives in a stampede during a stoning ceremony in the late 2015.10
Because of the many people who go for vacation to Mecca each year, the city enjoys very rich cultural legacy. Mecca has turned into one of the most assorted areas in the Muslim population. Contrary to the other parts of Arabia, Fattah confirms that Mecca has become a haven of debate and free contemplation with some degree of tolerance.11 Osman Nuri Pasha invented the primary publishing base in Mecca in mid-1880s. In the course of the Hashemite sovereignty, this publishing unit was used to circulate the metropolitan’s magazine, the al-Qibla.
The Saudi government boosted this publishing machine by establishing the Saudi official journal, namely Umma al-Qura. Publishing methods and machines were developed from the Arab world through Jeddah. Today, the capital of Mecca possesses its magazine. Saudi intercontinental reports are also distributed in Mecca and its environs. The magazines emphasise matters that affect Mecca and its populace. Television channels that Meccans watch include Saudi Tv2 and Saudi Tv1 among others. These services are used to cover the events of the pilgrimage during Hajj. Individuals who stay around Saudi Arabia but are unable to pay for the event are considered physically unfit. Hence, they can watch the proceedings in the televisions or read about the events from the news reports.
The Kabsa and the Yemeni Mandi are the most well liked foods in Mecca. Grilled meat cookeries such as shawarma, kofta, and kebab are also trendy and extensively purchased in this city. In the course of the Ramadan season, samosas among other soft foods are the most accepted foods taken at sunset. The foods are mostly available in various cafés. The combination of the diverse traditions, races, and tribes had led to a considerably influenced Mecca’s conventional cookery. The metropolis has been referred to as the most multinational Islamic capital that has an amazing intercontinental food.
Conventionally, male adults would supply water and fruit drinks to Muslims to discontinue their fasting in the evening.12 Presently, such adults make an income by retailing sugary products. Over the past 100 years, many restaurants and fast-food businesses established their contracts in Mecca. Their aim was to serve the neighbourhood residents and the pilgrims. The Muslim pilgrims often bring colourful farm products for sale to Mecca. The products are distributed and eaten by those who observe Hajj. The event not only brings Muslims close to one another, but also strengthens their religious unity while at the same time acting as an economic boost to the city of Mecca and its environs.
Importance of Pilgrimage to Islam
The Hajj is among the basic Muslim events. Pilgrimage is observed in the consecrated city of Mecca. Nowadays, Muslims face this city when giving their pleas and requests to God. The event is regarded as a praiseworthy movement, which acts as a self-punishment to Muslims who wish to have their faith strengthened. The event leads to the eventual pardon of their sins. As previously mentioned, the observation of the event is advisable to economically capable people who uphold the Islamic faith.
They congregate to rejuvenate their faith. Hajj acts as a prompt to Muslims that they are identical in the eyes of Allah.13 Besides, Hajj offers the faithful a collective outlook of the world and its occupants. Participating in the Eid-al-Ahda, which is a ceremony that takes place on the final day of Hajj, reminds the religious faithful that they should make huge offerings to please Allah. Hajj offers the lesson about endurance. It provides the faithful the opportunity to liberate themselves from their wickedness. In fact, individuals who participate in the Hajj while staying away from immorality return from the event reborn and enlightened. Hence, the pilgrimage can be considered an activity that cleanses all injustices. Killing an animal and handing out the meat to the disadvantaged demonstrates a sense of commonality and civilisation within the social order.
Conclusion
The pilgrimage reminds the faithful about the role they are expected to play in taking care of the deprived people and the society in general. Besides, the event is a rebuilding of the sacraments that were previously observed by prominent spiritualists and teachers of the Muslim faith. Pilgrims metaphorically uphold the life that Adam and Eve went through when they were excluded from Heaven. For instance, they strolled everywhere in the universe until they re-assemble in Mecca where they went to seek pardon from God. The event can be considered a way through which people remember the pain that Allah’s fore-servants went through after transgressing the set laws. Therefore, the gathering in Mecca holds a central position among Muslim faithful since it is viewed as vital in reinforcing one’s faith and confidence in his or her creator.
Works Cited
Al-Olaqi, Fahd. “The Prophet Muhammad’s Leadership: An Islamic View.” Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal 2.10(2015): 59-70. Print.
Glubb, John. The life and times of Muhammad, New York, NY: Cooper Square Publishers, 2002. Print.
Inamdar, Subhash. Muhammad and the rise of Islam: The Creation of Group Identity, Connecticut, England: International Universities Press Inc., 2001. Print.
Ja’fari, Sayyid. The Origins and Early Development of Shia Islam, New Jersey, NJ: Lulu Press, 2014. Print.
Lewis, Bernard. Arabs in History, New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2002. Print.
Meysamie, Alipasha, and Hosein Arkadani. “Comparison of Mortality and Morbidity Rates among Iranian Pilgrims in Hajj.” Saudi Medical Journal 27.7(2006): 1049-1053. Print.
Footnotes
Subhash Inamdar, Muhammad and the rise of Islam: The Creation of Group Identity. Connecticut, England: International Universities Press Inc., 2001), 46.
Inamdar, 49.
Bernard Lewis, Arabs in History (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2002), 124.
Subhash Inamdar, Muhammad and the rise of Islam: The Creation of Group Identity (Connecticut, England: International Universities Press Inc., 2001), 14.
John Glubb, The life and times of Muhammad (New York, NY: Cooper Square Publishers, 2002), 89.
Glubb, 94.
Sayyid Ja’fari, The Origins and Early Development of Shia Islam (New Jersey, NJ: Lulu Press, 2014), 77.
Ja’fari, 80.
Fahd Al-Olaqi, “The Prophet Muhammad’s Leadership: An Islamic View.” Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal 2.10(2015): 59.
Alipasha Meysamie,, and Hosein Arkadani. “Comparison of Mortality and Morbidity Rates among Iranian Pilgrims in Hajj,” Saudi Medical Journal 27.7(2006): 1050.
Hassan Fattah, Islamic Pilgrims Bring Cosmopolitan Air to Unlikely City, 2005.
The belly of the whale is one of the most powerful symbols that illustrate the hero’s death, which may not always be physical and the rebirth that follows it. The belly may be referred to as the womb, while the darkness within it symbolizes death, and the process of the hero’s emergence is similar to the act of giving birth (Penn, 2019). The belly of the whale was not by chance chosen to signify rebirth because it relates to the biblical story of Jonah and the Big Fish.
The story is quite well-known, and many people have known it since childhood. It is about a man, Jonah, whom God told to go preach to Nineveh because people who lived there were malicious (Bible Study Tools Staff, 2022). Jonah disliked the idea and tried to escape by sea, but his ship faced a storm, and the man was forced to jump into the water. God then sent a big fish that was probably, a whale that swallowed the man and, thus, saved him from death (BibleStudy Tools Staff, 2022). Jonah spent three days in the whale’s belly, where he understood that it was wrong to neglect God’s assignment and asked Him to spare him. The whale returned the man to the land, and he went to Nineveh and told its citizens about God’s anger. After that, people there repented, and God gave them mercy.
Jonah’s story is often interpreted in many ways and has different messages. The first and most evident one is that every person in the world has debt and responsibilities that need to be fulfilled. People should not neglect them in order to make their existence easier because the things that should be done will follow them no matter where they go. The story also teaches the readers to live their lives through love that is complying with their duty and providing assistance to those who need it.
References
BibleStudy Tools Staff (2022). Jonah and the Whale – Bible story. BibleStudy Tools. Web.
Castleberry, S. (2021). One creation: Examining creation myths across time and culture. Ouachita Baptist University. Web.
Penn, A. (2019). The belly of the whale: Hero’s journey, stage 5 (explained). Shortform. Web.
Nathaniel Hawthorne has primarily used symbolism in his work as a style of narrative maneuver. A symbol like the black color has been used to denote the veil itself. It is a symbol of evil and secret sin of humanity. The veil representation has been commonly used to illustrate fear of the unknown and the rigidity in the puritan society. Besides, the typical nuance veil has rested in the somatic and conceptual disadvantage that it establishes, amid the minister and his brethren and the shame that it articulates.
Hawthorne (89) describes that the congregation trust that the exterior exhibits offers evidence in regard to a person’s essential features, thus his or her incredible comportment. Hence by embracing the veil, the minister diminishes the authority on which the faithful can accurately envisage his conduct.
This causes isolation of the minister with his congregation, although he is made reckless already by simple action of wearing the veil. Fragment of the terrifying effect of veil descends from consciousness (Meyer, 65).
The consciousness alludes that the other person is capable of seeing without being identified or seen himself. This is illustrated by members of the congregation when they say “the most blameless girl and the man of cynical breast sensed as if the minister had crept on them. Behind this dreadful veil, revealed their amassed unfairness of deed (Hawthorne, 113)
As the congregation cannot aptly predict where the minister is gazing, they trust and assume that they are being watched diligently than normal. This hypothesis is reinforced by the theme of the discourse, which “had typified furtive evil and the miserable secrecies which people skin from the rest of society”.
Hence, the ministers exemplify the responsibility of “God”, whose probing examination can decode secret mystery of an individual of the soul. Equally, the wearing of the veil is a signal of being guilty. As a classic illustration for the society, the minister accordingly infers that individuals have to accept the same.
The minister criticizes the people by being chauvinistic and fallen from the philosophy of ethics. They are extremely concerned, with the growing power drilled over them in embracing shared uniqueness of Puritan America. This is apparent in fundamental battle amid the people and society (Hawthorne, 79).
The Minister’s black veil symbol can also be illustrated clearly on the universal variance between puritanism and sensitivity, which is the attitude that hominid are dualistic; they have inherent, evil side and an internalized, moralistic side.
Rendering to this set of conjecture, the “Evil or darkness” as described by Hawthorne, we can infer that darkness is a natural part of an individual (Hawthorne, 97).
The Minister recognizes the evil in him and formulates alternatives to curb obstacles that can preserve his sentient character from intolerable and suppressed self. This obstacle is embodied in the veil (Meyer, 104).
It is subsequently transferred as a reflection of clandestine sin. The congregation epitomizes the cognizant of the persona, which entails the ethics and tenets verbalized by humanity. To evade frightening acuities from inflowing cognizance, they embrace multiple instruments. The multiplicity of these shield instruments is illustrated by the antiphons of minister’s homily (Hawthorne, 3).
Various people search for means of appraising the situation, as in case, the existence of others. Others find a way to befuddle themselves from their feelings, by talking and laughing loudly. Other people dismiss or refute their feeling of the situation.
Conclusion
Symbols in Hawthorne’s play, The Minister’s Black Veil illustrate the impenetrable obstacle existing in all human souls. The point illustrated by the symbols alludes that every individual should accept his or her “black veil” (Meyer, 123). However, if we humans are contented in accepting the evil in them, there is a concern to come when individuals will be compelled to put aside their veils.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Minister’s Black Veil, Iowa: Perfection Learning, 2007
Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing, London: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007
Use of symbolism in literature works has been utilized more often to represent true meanings of the stories as conveyed by writers. Presenting symbolism in stories has several advantages.
These include presenting readers with the opportunity to interpret ideas from such works. In addition, symbolism improves a reader’s critique and presents him/her with valuable poetic analysis skills. Most authors use symbolisms in their works to send clear but silent messages to audience. This helps in giving varied interpretation of literary works.
Another significance of symbolism is its silent message, which appeals to readers. These are usually found in most artistry works. They form the foundation of artistry since almost every message in arts focus on interpretation of symbols and images. Symbolisms are utilized to add quality to the works presented.
This paper will analyze symbolisms used in three literature works presented below. These are in “The Cherry Orchard”, “The Hairy Ape”, and “Madame Bovary”. It will also endeavor to identify at least one symbolism in each of these works as presented by the author.
The Cherry Orchard
This is a story in a Russian setting with several presentations of symbolisms. Among these, include the Cherry Orchard, and Breaking string. This play emphasizes mainly on the past and memory.
For instance, they refer to their room as a nursery even though it is clear that there are no children in it. Symbolism is conveyed in the form of Cherry Orchard, which is heavily presented throughout the play. Almost everything revolves around this symbol. It is quite interesting to note how Ranevsky perceives orchards.
The Cherry Orchard is presented as a huge gigantic tree in Russia and is estimated to produce over 4 million pounds of cherries from one crop. It is quite amazing that with such amount of cherries, Ranevsky cannot be economically sustained. Moreover, Lopakhin’s estate covers more than 2500 acres, which should be covered by Cherry Orchards.
According to Firs, recipe used to make cherry jam was lost, and this seems to explain why they could not cover most of the estate with Cherry Orchard. This can be seen as a relic of past and symbolizes end to the period when Cherry Orchard was useful. Furthermore, the Cherry Orchard’s unrealistic size, which is assumed as largest in Russia, presents another symbolism of past memories.
In this regard, the Orchard is symbolized to represent a certain aspect of memory. It is also quite important to note that memory is represented by different characters in varying ways. For instance, each of the characters perceives a different aspect of past events with Orchards. An example is Ranevsky who relates the Orchard with his dead mother whom he perceives to be walking in Cherry Orchards.
In essence, the Orchards represents a symbol of his past that is unwanted and may provide reasons why more crops are not planted in that estate. In this case, the Orchard represents personal relic to Ranevsky, in her idyllic life as a young girl.
Other representations of Orchard include those presented by Trofimov, who observes Serf’s faces in the orchard. The Serfs had died as slaves in that Estate.
To him this orchard reminds him of suffering the slaves underwent. Lopakhin on the other hand sees Orchard as a representation of his brutal childhood and a hindrance to prosperity. Evidently, each character has a reason to like or hate the crop, no wonder it is magnified in unrealistic manner. It can also be noticed that here is a major division between the youth and old.
According to Lopakhin, the orchard presents an obstacle to prosperity, while in the case of Ranevsky, its past memories are relishing. This is a further proof of the Orchard’s representation of past memories. It is therefore quite clear that every event and happenings as well as characters try to relate to Cherry orchards in one way or another. The orchard is therefore used as a symbolism in this play.
The Hairy Ape
The Hairy Ape is another story that reveals more about social and cultural realities. This is quite evident in Firemen and Yank’s residence, which is conveyed as a formidable cage.
This place contrasts Mildred’s environment. Several symbolisms are used in this story, these include Steel, Apes, Thinkers, among others. The paper therefore exposes deterioration of civilized individuals into an animalistic being. This is observed in their lifestyles. For instance, Yank thinks he is an Ape. Apes have been used as a representation of symbolism in this story, the Hairy Ape.
This can be seen throughout the story. In fact, Apes appears almost in every part of this story. Yank is referred to as an Ape and this makes him think he really is an Ape. He goes on to inform people that he is an Ape, which makes it quite interesting. Similarly, Mildred also thinks she is an Ape, which continues to emphasize on its use as a symbolism throughout the novel.
According to Senator Queen, American civilization is degenerating back to Apes, with a reflection of true Ape in Scene 8. In addition, Queen attributes this to Wobblies that characterize American population. In this context, Ape is used to symbolize man, who at this state does not need technology. The Ape is also used to represent man who is behind in technological advances, class, and elements of the contemporary society. In this sense, Ape’s main concern is survival.
Yank is continually linked with his relatives who were considered as primates. In fact, just like the Apes, Yank struggles to think and is majorly concerned with ways of survival.
In addition, his understanding is at its lowest since he does not comprehend the class system that exists in his surroundings. Moreover, his language is also the lowest and basic, at best. Yank is also territorial and obstinate; these descriptions also match male Apes. Another similarity that can be drawn from Yank and Apes is the fact that they are both aggressive and bull headed.
From these descriptions, it is clear that Ape is used to symbolize backwardness in light of civilization. It has also been employed to symbolize the need to think beyond survival. This is observed in Yank’s way of life, which only focuses on survival in his setting. Moreover, the setting is also described as a cage. In essence, Ape has been applied throughout this story as a symbolism.
Madame Bovary
This novel starts in a school setting where the author tries to introduce his character Charles and Emma as well as their behaviors. The novel also conveys varied symbols such as “The Blind Beggar”, “Dried Flowers”, and “The Lathe”, among others.
These have several meanings and messages conveyed by those symbolisms. One clear symbolism portrayed in this novel is the portrait of physical decay. The Blind beggar is seen to follow Emma’s carriage, as she moves to meet Leon.
This is used to show moral imbalance on Emma’s side. The beggar’s songs also symbolize despair in his movement towards Emma’s carriage. The songs are about birds, green leaves, as well as sunshine. Another observation that comes out clearly is the fact that innocence has been intertwined with diseases to symbolize Emma’s combination of beauty and moral corruption.
Even though Emma can be seen as a beautiful wife and innocent, her spirit is conveyed as corrupt and foul. This is quite evident in her way of life. She indulges in temptations of adultery and continues in deceit to keep hold of her illicit affair. Much later, after Emma dies, the beggar finishes his song by speaking about a dreaming girl.
It is at this moment that a reader realizes the kind of songs sung by this beggar, songs with emphasis on bawdy and romance. Clearly, the beggar mirrors Emma’s life from innocence, through to her life, which is full of degradation and illicit affairs.
It is quite important to note that this beggar is blind. Therefore for a blind person to mirror a normal human being in his son, symbolizes the extent of actions committed by Emma. She begins her life as an innocent wife, taking good care of her husband, with a beauty that flourishes in her youth.
Later on, she gets corrupt and immersed in adultery, which degrades her even though only the opposite can be seen by her observers. In addition, she is quite deceptive and does this to cling on to an illicit affair. In essence, the beggar standout as a symbolism throughout the story as he mirrors Emma’s life and gives an observer the level of degradation Emma has gone into.
Conclusion
Symbolism is used throughout these three novels. In the first case, Symbolism is conveyed in the form of Cherry Orchard, which is heavily presented throughout the play. Almost everything revolves around this crop. The Cherry Orchard is presented as a huge gigantic tree in Russia and is estimated to produce over 4 million pounds of cherries from one crop.
It is quite amazing that with such amount of cherries, Ranevsky cannot be economically sustained. In the second story, symbolism is applied by referring to Yank as an Ape. The Ape is used to represent man who is behind in technological advances, class, and elements of the contemporary society.
In essence, Ape’s main concern is survival. Yank is continually linked with his relatives who were considered primates. In fact, just like the Apes, Yank struggles to think and is majorly concerned with ways of survival.
In addition, his understanding is at its lowest since he does not comprehend the class system that exists in his surroundings. Moreover, his language is also the lowest and basic, at best. Lastly, symbolism is also used in the third novel, “Madame Bovary”.
In this novel, the beggar is used to mirror Emma’s lifestyle, which moves from innocence as seen in her beauty to corruption of mind and soul as she indulges in temptations of adultery and continues in deceit to keep hold of her illicit affair. In essence, symbols are used to represent concepts and ideas as represented in characters, colors, and objects, among others.
In both The Minister’s Black veil and The Birthmark, Hawthorne’s use symbolism of symbolism is conspicuous. In The Birthmark he says, “The crimson hand expressed the ineludible gripe in which mortality clutches the highest and purest of earthly mould… symbol of his wife’s liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death” (Hawthorne Para. 9). Hawthorne makes it clear that he is using birthmark as a symbol of ‘mortality’, ‘decay’ and susceptibility to sin.
On the other side, in The Minister’s Black Veil, he says, “All through life the black veil had hung between him and the world. It had separated him from cheerful brotherhood and woman’s love…shade him from the sunshine of eternity” (Hawthorne Para. 12). The black veil here symbolizes the sin that the minister had committed with the dead mistress; that is, sex.
Symbolism in these two stories touches on human failures and sinful nature. The birthmark is a sign of Georgina’s susceptibility to sin, sorrow, and mortality. As aforementioned, this birthmark shows Georgina’s indebtedness to sin and her eventual death. Men constantly found Georgian attractive because of her birthmark. “Georgiana’s lovers were wont to say that…as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection” (Hawthorne Para. 6).
This statement makes it clear that the birthmark symbolized Georgina’s indebtedness to sin. She had ‘lovers’ and this is sinful. On the other side, the black veil worn by the minister is a symbol of his sins. Critics like Alan Poe say that, “Minister Hooper may have had an affair with the young lady who died at the beginning of the story.
Coincidentally, this is the first day he wears the veil, “and that a crime of dark dye, (having reference to the young lady) has been committed, is a point which only minds congenial with that of the author will perceive” (Poe 188). Not even the dead maiden can stand the face of the minister for she would be “fearful of her glance” (Hawthorne Para. 16).
This means that there is connection between the black veil and the dead maiden and the most probably thing that could link the minister to the dead maiden is having sex which is sinful. Therefore, symbolism in these two stories stands for human indebtedness to sin.
While symbolism in The Birthmark comes out clearly, in The Minister’s Black Veil, use of symbolism is ambiguous. Hawthorne makes it clear that Georgina’s birthmark is selected as a ‘symbol’ to show her indebtedness to sin.
However, the symbolism of the black veil worn by the minister represents “symbol of symbols”. “The Minister’s Black Veil introduced the notion that Hooper’s black veil functioned as a “symbol of symbols,” since its meaning could never be ultimately determined” (Carnochan 9).
Therefore, the contrasting feature of symbolism as used in these two stories comes out clearly, by considering the preciseness of the meaning of the symbols used. Birthmark clearly represents Georgina’s indebtedness to sin; however, the black veil may mean anything depending on the view of the reader.
Hawthorne’s use of symbolism comes out clearly in The Minister’s Black Veil and The Birthmark. Georgina’s birthmark is a sign of her obligation to sin; she had lovers who admired her because of the birthmark, which is sinful. Moreover, her husband points that the birthmark shows her earthly imperfection. The black veil worn by the minister symbolizes his sins; he had an affair with the dead maiden.
However, while the meaning of the birthmark comes out clearly, the black veil worn by the minister may mean, symbol of symbols”. The use of black veil as ‘symbol of symbols’ indicates ambiguity of the same; the only contrasting feature in the use of symbolism in these two stories.
Works Cited
Carnochan, Winston. “The Minister’s Black Veil: Symbol, Meaning, and the Context of Hawthorne’s Art.” New York; California University Press, 1969.
This paper investigates the literature that is available on “Good Country People” by Flannery O’Connor. It elucidates certain literary skills like characterization, point of view, narration, imagery, symbolism and setting as used in the story. In each case, the paper provides quotations from the provided text in order to back its claims.
Characterization
The story is about the life of a young man who disguises his identity in order to win a woman’s heart. He appears to the young woman as a bible-seller so that he can look more trustworthy. On the other hand, the woman also gives an image that is not really hers. They both believe that people will not accept them if they know their real identities. Essentially, the writer uses both direct and indirect characterization to show the extent to which people can go to evade social rejection (O’Connor, 1998).
In particular, Manley is portrayed as quite sly. He pretends to love the word of God so that people can think he is trustworthy. He is a typical country boy who lacks in self-confidence to command respect from his peers. And so, he fills this personality gap by deceiving people around him that he possesses a higher social standing. This exposes him as quite a sly character (O’Connor, 1998).
Point of View
The story is written from a third person’s point of view. It is clear that the author is an independent observer in the entire story. For example, she observes that Hulga is always angry and only finds an opportunity to relax when she meets Manley. During the occasion, she appears keen to use her intellectual prowess to intimidate Manley so that he can look different from a typical “good country people”.
However, it later becomes evident that she also belongs to this group of people. Essentially, the narrator is not personally involved in the events of the story, but he is in a position to see what the two characters are doing and even read their minds. This is typical of a third person’s point of view (O’Connor, 1998).
Imagery/Symbolism
The author uses symbolism to emphasize the fact that a book’s cover should not be used to judge the book. The two main characters portray themselves as humble and trustworthy people, yet in reality the opposite is true. They are both keen to take advantage of each other rather than engage in a serious relationship.
For example, Manley only pretends to be a bible-seller in order to look holy and worthy of Hulga’s trust. In addition, the image of the wooden leg is introduced into the story to draw apathy towards Hulga. Every time it is mentioned, the reader feels pity and sympathy for her (O’Connor, 1998).
Setting
The story takes place in Georgia, inside a tenant farm. The dialect used significantly contributes to the identification of the setting. For example, Mrs. Freeman comments that, in case she doesn’t arrive before dust settles, then people can be certain that she is dead. This identifies the setting as somewhere around the rural South, where the use of idioms is quite popular (O’Connor, 1998).
In conclusion, the story uses both direct and indirect characterization to display the characters of Manley and Hulda. In addition, it applies an intricate combination of symbolism and imagery to expound on the storyline. These literary elements help the reader to deeply analyze the information conveyed.
Reference List
O’Connor, Flannery (1998). Good Country People. Literature: Reading, Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay 4th Edition, 180-193.
Symbolism is a style in the literature that enables an author to enrich the content of his or her work. They do this by bringing into the literary creation an issue that the readers can easily identify with and at the same time must look deeply to unravel the hidden meaning. These meanings are embodied in common features within one’s society. In the book “Comfort woman”, the author Keller has incorporated several symbols and motifs that symbolize various meanings and symbols.
In this essay, the importance or significance of the River or water has been discussed as a symbolic feature. Water or the river can be used for some reasons. First, it can be perceived as a cleaning agent; for washing the dirtiest of linens, as a source of livelihood, a sign of peace and tranquility. The physical side can also be taken to provide peace and security for people especially soldiers in war as was the case in Korea. The course of a river and its characteristics in various stages of development can also find symbolic meaning from the novel. During the useful stage of the formation of a river, it flows violently sweeping everything in its wake. It also creates new routes where there are barriers. In the middle stage, it deposits much of what it had collected while in the old stage it loses its speed and strength and gains depth as it enters a lake, a new life.
This book is set in the post-war period in Asia. It is the story of the life of Akiko, a former comfort girl for the Korean Soldiers, and her teenage daughter Beccah. It highlights the traumas the mother Akiko goes through as a mother teenage and her teenage girl. The hardships that Beccah too goes through are also explored in-depth and her feelings are near an “abnormal” mother. It is her journey to understand her where she also creates herself and finds more about her mother’s lifestyle and job. Ironically in a painfully realistic way she finds that she has so much from her mother than she would have ever thought possible.
The symbol of the river and/or water can be applied to these issues. The physical setting does not come out in great detail, but it crosses one as authentic. We can therefore safely assume that it has wonderful sceneries with rivers and other physical features. These are relevant in the sense that during the war the landscape and its rivers aided the soldiers in the fighting. They could use it to hide from enemies and to diminish their trials.
The lives of the Mother and daughter can be interpreted in terms of a river that has fully developed from the formation to the old stage. From the trappings of being a sex slave to the soldiers to the birth of her daughter, Akiko’s life has gone full circle. The book is interposed with her life in Korea, how she left Korea, married the daughter’s father, and her subsequent life in the US. She discovers the high cost of human degradation, rape, and the brutal loss of self. Beccah comes to learn so much about the mother and like a river that has met a barrier, she develops a sense of self-awareness and direction. She tries and even works as an obituary writer.
The mother’s spirit is dead after uncountable rapes by the Japanese soldiers’ attempts to protect her half-American half Korean daughter from harm. She also fights hard the truths from her Korean Background. The daughter is confused since the mother does not reveal what makes her despair. The father though not prominent in the pages his character is also savagely drawn. We can say that she tries to wash off her evil and brutal past from her daughter. Readers learn of the pain that Akiko underwent as a comfort girl for the soldiers.
Her daughter, Beccah, feels somewhat overwhelmed and overburdened by the hierarchies in society and her mother’s spiritual attachment to the spirit world. Coupled with a mystical and schizophrenic mother who uses broken English, Beccah is embarrassed. The plot moves through the widely held memories, historical occurrences, and the relationship between an outsider’s and an insider’s view of the mainstream culture. On a more personal note, it examines the lives of a mother and daughter drugged into the extensive world of prostitution and sex.
Water has been used for many days to clean dirt. It has also been used to dissolve dangerous chemicals and as a place for disposing of wastes. The course of a river as it flows is a journey wrought with many experiences; it picks stuff as it leaves some along the way. In her quest for a better life, Akiko has met with exploitative soldiers and unfaithful men, like the father to Beccah. These people have left her with a soiled spirit and scare he soul. The memories are so bitter she does not even disclose them to the daughter easily. They have been left in a world seemingly in the depth of poverty vice and despair. They are segregated by society and abandoned by the people they thought would help them.
In the end, Beccah can make peace with her mother and her ethnic heritage as she gains in-depth self-awareness. She grows to trust the relationship with her mother and also follows her heart. It follows through a life of survival over unimaginable brutality. The water as a cleaning agent has cleaned them and brought newness to them. When clean and enriched with oxygen it becomes medicine for the future. The oxygen in this case is the new lifestyle mother and daughters try to forge in America. Like a river that has found a new course, we expect their lives to change.
Works Cited
Keller, Nora Okja. Comfort woman, New York: Viking, (1997).
Authors of short stories are limited in their ability to convey deep ideas and meaning within their work by the short length of their work. However, by making careful use of literary devices such as symbolism and metaphor, these authors can insert as much meaning into a very short story as they can into a full-length novel. One such author is Kate Chopin, who wrote during a changing time in the world when the Victorian ideals of the past were just beginning to change into the more modern ideals of the future. In her works, Chopin frequently makes use of nature as a means of conveying her intentions. In stories such as “The Storm”, “The Story of an Hour” and “Ripe Figs”, Chopin is able to convey a greater sense of what her characters are feeling and the passage of time through natural imagery.
Main body
Chopin uses nature to illustrate the emotions of her main character in “The Storm.” Calixta is a passionate woman forced to comply with the restrictions of a Victorian lifestyle and is feeling the pressure of it. Within the first few sentences of the story, the storm is described as “somber clouds that were rolling with sinister intention from the west, accompanied by a sullen, threatening roar” (Chopin, 1898).
She works this hard around the house to try to keep her passionate nature in check. As the storm outside builds, Calixta “sat at a side window sewing furiously on a sewing machine … she felt very warm and often stopped to mop her face on which the perspiration gathered in beads” (Chopin, 1898). But the building storm won’t be ignored anymore and finally breaks over her house one day when her husband and son are gone and an equally passionate man, the man she wanted to be with when she was younger, is riding by her home. As she sees Alcee Labalierre ride in at the gate, as she stands there with her husband’s Sunday coat in her arms, the raindrops begin to fall.
These falling raindrops can be seen as her expression of grief at what she cannot be. Her building frustration as a result of her constrained passion is expressed in the flash of lightning that sends her jumping backward into Alcee’s arms and the storm peaks as the two of them finally give expression to their desire. The lightning becomes the conflict inside her and the beating of the rain on her roof is the beating of her heart as she finally expresses her passion with Alcee.
Louise in “The Story of an Hour” finds her freedom in her sudden interest in the world outside her window. Like Calixta, it was a world she rarely considered because of her necessarily being constrained within the Victorian concepts that the woman should remain in the home. That her marriage was a relatively enforced concession to the social requirements of the time is evidenced in her thoughts as she considers the loss of her husband. “And yet she had loved him – sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter?” (Chopin, 1897: 3).
When she learns of her husband’s death, Louise, the protagonist in Chopin’s story, immediately breaks down in grief as she is expected to do proving that she has convinced herself to remain completely in line, body, and soul, with the cultural expectations of her time. “She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone … She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams” (Chopin, 1897: 2).
As she looks out her window, though, all the natural signs of spring outside begin to reveal to her what that role might be and she loses her fear of it as she becomes capable of naming it. Having accepted that she is free as the birds, the realization that her husband is still alive and healthy, thus placing her back within the confined role of the housewife, is more than her system can bear.
In “Ripe Figs”, nature is used by the main character as a means of marking time without the use of a calendar, in a more natural way. Maman-Nianiane averts her daughter’s impatience to travel to her cousins’ house by telling her she will travel when the figs are ripe. The bulk of the story is concerned with Babette’s subsequent watching of the fig trees as they progress through the various stages of maturation and production of fruit. “Every day Babette danced out to where the fig trees were in a long line against the fence. She walked slowly beneath them, carefully peering between the gnarled, spreading branches. But each time she came disconsolate away again” (Chopin, 2007). The day that they’re finally ripe, she presents her mother with a plateful of them and is informed that her mother will find her “when the chrysanthemums are in bloom” in Toussaint.
Conclusion
Throughout her short stories, Chopin makes heavy use of nature to tell the story. By linking her characters with the forces of nature, she provides them with universal attributes and extends the character’s description far further than would have been possible within the short space of the story. Calixta’s passion is explored to a much greater degree as it affects the people around her, Louise’s heart is revealed as she experiences the world outside her window and Babette is able to track the passage of time simply by watching the development of the fig trees. Through this natural connection, Chopin expands her characters into the greater realm of society, enabling her readers to more closely identify with them and learning much more about these same characters’ inner natures.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. “Ripe Figs.” 2007. Web.
Chopin, Kate. “The Storm.” 1898. Web.
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” (1897). Printed in Mercury Reader. Melanie Rubens. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.
After the civil war ended in 1865, a lot changed in the southern states. Being a region that mainly depended on agriculture they had to resolve how they would proceed with their lives as new developments were being made all over and they had to adapt fast. In Jefferson, Mississippi, almost everyone in the town had decided to adapt to these recent changes except for a particular resident in the town Emily Grierson who was a tough conservative and was reluctant to any sort of change. Her reluctance made her hold onto social conventions that were no longer relevant, and in the process, she detached herself from the Jefferson community and their new way of life. The author’s idea is to try and give the reader an impression of the importance of change when one is forced by circumstances. Faulkner efficiently uses different symbols in the story to show Emily’s drive and sensation. The story is a typical southern gothic tale.
The character of Emily Grierson has been portrayed as a very dynamic person, strong with a sense of tradition but also, with a distorted perception of the world. However, her seeming insanity leads her to murder. This also appears to be balanced in her character with a strong sense of pride. This is portrayed by both her and her father.
In the story, Emily Grierson shows strength in an instance like where she snubs the men sent to collect tax, knowing very well that her witness colonel Sartoris has been dead for years. Another instance is when she sees men around her house throwing lime to counter the pathetic smell but appears to stand firmly observing them. However, this sort of strength that is shown is a mere cover-up to hide her low self-esteem issues. Emily is only trying to come to terms with the changing times.
Deep respect is also shown in Emily’s character. In addition, some form of reliance on her ancestry and the past is portrayed. This is due to where her family comes from the south is popular with using the old style or being conservative.
A good example is when she asks the tax officials to leave and calls his black servant Tobe. “Show these gentlemen out” (Faulkner 2). The town changes as it continues to develop. However, she reluctantly does not. She uses the past as a scapegoat to dictate how she wants to live. This has been demonstrated when she says “I have no taxes in Jefferson. Colonel Sartoris explained it to me. Perhaps one of you can gain access to the city records and satisfy yourselves “(Faulkner 2). This was her technique of trying to steer clear of taxes by using an old myth.
Considering the situation where she gets involved with him, this is a man who is working for the city. Baron Homer persuades her to live with him. This is a manner in which she would have acted in days that have already gone. This definitely meant that she is not acting her age. But this can only be attributed to her delicate mental state, making her go a long way in protecting her interests to the extent that she kills Homer with arsenic acid. She not only engages in this criminal act but she goes a step further to continue sleeping with Homer’s dead body until the time of her demise. This sort of action can only be associated with a very sick and troubled individual.
Thus, the character of Emily starts as a young girl envied by both men and women for different reasons as asserted by Faulkner at the beginning of the story. The men envied her and considered her a monument of some sort and the women envied her rich background. This changes with time as Emily grows older and becomes a sad old woman living in self-confinement, consumed by loneliness and also the result of her father’s actions. She appears to have a slight chance of happiness when she meets Homer but it leads to more misery after she kills him. The once envied monument is now pitied by the same society because of what she turned out to be.
The changes in Emily’s life can be largely attributed to Emily’s father and her perception of change. Emily is portrayed as a young woman who is despoiled by her father’s overly strict mentality. Emily’s father is the only man in her life for the better part of her life. This makes Emily be in denial when he dies as Emily finds it difficult to let go. Emily’s father is a person with a stubborn perception of life. This attitude makes her seclude herself from society. Emily was raised with a silver spoon in a wealthy surrounding since her father was a very wealthy man. Her father even occasionally loaned the town. This sort of wealth made Emily grow up as a very selfish and spoiled individual never knowing the true value of a dollar.
When her father passed away, she ignored the surrounding degradation of her house and herself. She was in denial when her father passed away, ignoring the gossip about how she had turned out to be and she collided with the authorities who refused to abate taxes. Her life was unbecoming like the state of the house she was living in because she never got the proper love and care that she desired. She was unenthusiastic to changes that were taking place to the degree that she did not acknowledge the incumbent sheriff. This is clearly shown when she told the men who were sent “Perhaps he considers himself the sheriff… I have no taxes in Jefferson” (Faulkner 2).
Emily’s old-fashioned beliefs also made her shy to the community. She convinced herself if no person could see her, then no one would be in a position to make her change. Miss Emily did not accept change even if it was positive for her life. A good illustration is when she refused the new-fangled metal numbers. They were being introduced to be fixed on her door, and also to allow a mailbox. The mailbox was to be attached so that she could receive mail whenever it was free.
Symbolism is used by Faulkner though out the story to create a platform where the different persona of the characters, in different places, and during different events can be showcased. Faulkner has used the aspect of time to create good imagination of some details of the setting and some fine points of the setting to a good image of the element of time. He tries to steer clear of the sequential order of the events of Emily’s life, thus making the reader to be intrigued with the mystery and going further to let the reader study the mystery systematically. This enhances the story making to have two perspectives of time. These two are held by characters like the world and the present. This also involves the world that is of tradition and of the past time. The latter has its mathematical progression divided from them. The division is brought about by the narrow bottleneck of the most recent decade of years.
Symbolic rudiments are also used when it comes to the comparison of Grierson’s residence with the current condition of her life where Faulkner states that it’s adamant and coquettish decomposition above cotton wagons and the upcoming gas stations, it creates a bad image in the town of Jefferson. This was used to stress the point of how Emily’s mental and physical state had degraded.
According to the story ‘A Rose for Emily’, Emily Grierson is a person who has been brought up as a southern woman and has lived by extremely struggling with her sanity and the changing world around her. Her father is to blame for her developed behavior since she secluded Emily from the other members of the town. If Emily had been given a chance to interact with people of her own age, she might have turned out differently or maybe she was just mentally disturbed and her father tried to keep her away from society it will remain a mystery.
Works Cited
Faulkner, William. A Rose for Emily. New York: Harcourt College Publishers, 2000.