Symbolism and Literary Devices The House of the Scorpion

The House of the Scorpion Symbolism The House of the Scorpion

The House of the Scorpion - Symbols Vampire Dove/Dove feather White poppy fields Beehive Virgin Mary Statue Peter Rabbit The oasis Symbol – an object, person, event in the story that is used to describe a greater meaning Often a physical object that represents an idea, rather than something physical or real

Scorpion Symbolizes: The Alacran Family A powerful, terrible desert dweller Poisonous, lethal Sneaky, hide rom view of others sting The symbol of a scorpion is a big part of the book. People from the town of Durango were called that because there was so many of them and they were always running around. El Patron took the name of Matteo Alacran and it resembles the family of the Alacrans. There are many pictures and signs of scorpions in the Big House. Some are hidden and used for protection.

Vampire Symbolizes: Lives off the blood of human clones Live forever – yet you have to keep sucking blood to keep alive

Dove/Dove Feather Symbolizes: Hope Peace Survival

White Poppy Fields Symbolizes: Beautiful flowers, innocence, goodness – yet, what lies beneath them is death Eejits die in the fields from no breaks and from thirst Things are not always what they seem Used to make drugs The white poppy fields outside of Matt's old house was a symbol of beauty and secrets. The fields looked beautiful when you looked at them, but if you could really see what happened under it, it was horror. Eejits were forced to work in the fields with no breaks. They would sometimes die from thirst or extreme labor. The eejits were left there to decay or be buried. Not many people knew about what lie underneath the beauty that hid it.

The Beehive Symbolizes: A group working together Hard-working and cooperation Against laziness The working class Obedience Communism Bees are magnificent as far as productivity and industry is concerned. They produce beeswax and honey which are golden. Gold and the golden color have always been related to wealth. They certainly know how to sting to protect their wealth. They are industrious The are auspicious (successful creatures)

Statue of the Virgin Mary (Guadalupe) Symbolizes: Goodness Celia values non-material things, while El Patron values money and material possessions Celia is Matt’s mother, like Mary is also a mother Matt and Celia’s strong relationship and connection to each other But not every character is as greedy as El Patrón. Celia, for one, has just a few prized possessions, including her chipped Virgin Mary statue, which "she had brought […] with her all the way from her village in Aztlán. The Virgin's robe was slightly chipped, which Celia disguised with a spray of artificial flowers" (2.80). The statue isn't much to look at, but it's got sentimental value for Celia. We'd like to think that instead of hoarding it after death, Celia will pass it on to Matt, so she can pass on those memories. She's got the right attitude when it comes to stuff: don't value everything; value things with meaning. Even when Matt was away he thought of the Virgin because of what Celia taught him. Before Matt would go to bed Celia would talk to him about Her. It showed that the two had a strong relationship together. They both cared about each other very much. A symbol of what Matt learned from Celia and the relationship they had together. 

Peter Rabbit Symbolizes: Matt Being tapped and outsmarting your enemy Eats from the garden as Matt eats from Celia’s garden

The Oasis Symbolizes: Tam Lin and Matt’s relationship Freedom Rest and rejuvenation Isolation The oasis is a symbol of Tam Lin and Matt's relationship. Tam Lin took Matt to the oasis and that's when you could tell Tam Lin cared about Matt. Later in the book Matt goes back to the oasis to remember Tam Lin after he left. Tam Lin left survival gear for Matt. This was a hint telling Matt to find his freedom. Tam Lin also showed that he was Matt's friend.

The House of the Scorpion Literary Devices The House of the Scorpion

Pg. 36-37 “The doctor was tall and bony. His head was fringed with hair like the fluff on a duck's bottom… Pg. 40 “His [Matt’s] body ached like a tooth in the morning.” Pg. 70 When he [El Patron] was young, he made a choice, like a tree does when it decides to grow one way or the other…” Pg. 213 “…Benito was as dumb as a guppy…” Simile A comparison between two unlike objects using the words like or as Pg. 45 “You look like a pig in a sty.”

Metaphor Pg. 70 “You’re doing very good for a hothouse plant.” Pg. 40 “…Tom was a moral black hole.” “His voice was…the only rope he could throw to Chacho.” Metaphor A comparison of two unlike objects NOT using like or as

Hyperbole The use of great exaggeration to show emphasis Pg. 44 “It wouldn’t surprise me if you ate them [cockroaches].” Pg. 41 “I’d rather clean out a henhouse! At least they’re useful…” (Rosa referring to taking care of Matt) Hyperbole The use of great exaggeration to show emphasis

Pg. 44 “[The fly] sat on the meat, just as though it had been invited to dinner, and rubbed its hairy paws as it gloated over the meal.” The shrimp harvester “whined and complained” as it moved along The shrimp harvester had a “cavernous belly” to collect plankton in Personification A metaphor which give human qualities to an object that is not human

Asked to add emphasis, not to receive an answer Rhetorical Question Pg. 233 “Don’t you think I’m owed those lives?” Pg. 232 “Cat got your tongue the old man said?” Pg. 231 “Why didn’t I escape when I had the chance?” Asked to add emphasis, not to receive an answer