Jan's Master Class--SYMBOLISM

[glorybee]

Seema, I just laughed out loud. I had wondered if anyone would get into the spirit of my self-silliness.

You got them all exactly right, too.

[srashmi]

Seema, I just laughed out loud. I had wondered if anyone would get into the spirit of my self-silliness.

You got them all exactly right, too.

[Colswann1]

Hi Jan,

Turning up again like a bad penny!

Been struggling with mild writers' block and challenge fatigue plus an excessive amount of holidays booked for this year.

Could you use an obscure symbol to get the reader thinking, then through the piece more revealing symbols to make sure the reader has got it?

I'm not sure if I tick any boxes here with this extract but maybe you can find a teeny example:
"When I think of famine and skin and bone and bodies withering like sun scorched blooms; when I think of meagre donors and little help and porcine orgies and disgusting waste; when I think of tearless crying from dehydrated infants too weak to lift a head to a mother’s dry breast – when I think of these things, then I am sad."

[glorybee]

Colin, sorry it took me so long to respond to this--we've been on a short vacation for the past 4 days and I've just now gotten back to it.

Maybe I'm just tuckered out from the flight back home, but in your "list" of things that sadden you, none of them strike me as symbolic: they're all actual things that would break anyone's heart. The literary term that comes to mind as I read them is imagery rather than symbolism.

Can you specify what you meant by going from obscure to more obvious symbols?

[Colswann1]

Hi Jan - just another try.

"The Book" was mostly written by people from the the tribe of the "Six Pointed Star". Now it is read by the "Fish" people who follow a "Cross" and honour this "Rose of Sharon". In honouring the "Rose" they drink "Bread and Wine" in remembrance of their "Lamb" who changed into "The Victor" and slew "666".

Colin

[glorybee]

Hi, Colin--

I see what you're getting at now. I think this would be very effective in a long work of fiction, especially with symbols that are new and particular to that work. At some point, the readers would begin to get an inkling of what's going on, and that dawning realization would be a great way to get them to keep on reading.

Excellent!

[triumfunt]

Just a note... after reading this fascinating subject on symbolism...

I just watched for the second time.. the recent movie.. DOUBT.. where Meryl Streep plays a nun back in the 50s I think...

Symbolism is used all throughout the movie and that to me is what made it such a great movie.. not only with a superb cast but the writing of it is INCREDIBLE! so unlike most movies today..

The open window ... open and closed .. open and closed.. was such a good visual of what was happening in the movie when truth was at stake.. lies or truth... over and over and over again..
I highly recommend that movie... for this topic! Dianne J.

[glorybee]

Thanks, Dianne! It's defintely on my list of movies to watch this summer.