1. Symbolism in Literature
Brooklyn Technical High School
Freshman Composition
Mr. Williams
Learning Objective:
To learn how to identify symbolism in a literary selection
Common Core Standards:
RL Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

2. New Words Spelling Words miniature rehearsal Vocabulary Words
Antithesis (adj.)
True love for another is the antithesis of the desire to control that person's life.

3. In a few sentences, describe the story that this picture tells.
Motivational Activity:
In a few sentences, describe the story that this picture tells.

4. Motivational Activity:
Like other Simberg paintings, The Wounded Angel evokes a melancholy atmosphere: the angelic central figure with her bandaged eyes and bloodied wing, the sombre clothing of her two youthful bearers. The direct gaze of the right-hand figure touches the viewer.The allegorical procession with the angel walks through quite a realistic landscape. The landscape in the painting is from Eläintarha, Helsinki, and the water body in the background is Töölönlahti bay in Helsinki.[2] The same road skirts the shores of Töölönlahti even today. In Hugo Simberg’s day, the park was a popular spot for leisure-time activities among the working classes. At the time, many charity institutions were located in Eläintarha park; in The Wounded Angel the healthy boys are carrying the injured girl towards the Blind Girls’ school and the Home for Cripples. She clutches a bunch of snowdrops, symbolic of healing and rebirth.Simberg himself declined to offer any deconstruction, instead preferring the viewer to draw their own conclusions.
The Wounded Angel by Hugo Simberg

5. Defining Symbolism:
A literary device that uses an object or character to add deeper meaning to a story. It can be subtle or obvious.
A literary device that alludes to a feeling, mood, or a theme without directly stating it.
An image is what it is: “A shaggy brown dog scratches his rough back with a scruffy paw.”
A metaphor is something other than what is is: “Some dirty dog stole my wallet.”
A symbol is what it is and something more as well. “The dog is the emblem of faithfulness and guardianship. Dogs are considered loyal and temperate and the dog is a symbol of a skilled hunter. They were also associated with priests since priests were thought of as watchdogs against the devil.”

6. Symbolism in Lord of the Flies:
Symbols aside, the boys as a whole can represent humanity as a whole. You can see where the pieces fall from there; the island is then the entire world, the boys’ rules become the world’s varying governments, two tribes are two countries, and so on. The boys’ fighting is then equivalent to a war.
No boy may speak unless he is holding the conch and once he is holding it, he cannot be interrupted. They boys have imposed this “rule of the conch” on themselves, and thus the conch represents society’s rules, politics, and speech.
The fire is a symbol, paradoxically, of both hope of rescue and of destruction. Though it is used as a signal fire, it also causes bickering. The burnt out fire leads to a shift in power from Ralph to Jack.

7. Symbolism in Lord of the Flies:
There is still one symbol of advancement, of innovation and discovery. Yes, that’s right, we’re talking about Piggy’s glasses. that the glasses are, in fact, a pair of glasses, primarily intended for looking through. Looking = vision, and vision = sight, and sight = a metaphor for knowledge. Piggy knows things the other boys don’t, like how to use the conch, and the necessity for laws and order. Part of the reason he gets so upset when they take his glasses is that, without them, he can’t see anything. “Seeing” is Piggy’s greatest attribute; it’s the one reason the boys don’t ostracize him completely; it’s the one way he’s useful. Without his glasses, then, he’s useless, something that no one wants to be. the glasses breaking mean they are in danger of losing touch with the civilized world they’ve left behind. With one lens broken, they’ve got one foot over the line.
The pighunts are used throughout Lord of the Flies to symbolize not only man’s capacity for destruction and violence, but the basic idea of bloodlust, mass hysteria, and ritual.

8. Understanding Symbolism:
Grasp the meaning of "symbol." Just as the American bald eagle is often thought of as the symbol of the United States, symbols used in literature are objects used to represent other things or ideas. For example, in Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," the "A" that Hester Prynne was forced to wear represented not only that she was an adulteress, but also the first letter of the name of her illegitimate child's father, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale.
Recognize the signs. There are several ways to recognize symbolism in literature. One is the frequency an object or character is mentioned in a piece of literature--if it is mentioned often, it is probably important. Another way to find a symbol is to look at how much detail is used in describing an object. These two methods give clues that the writer wants you to infer something about a particular object.
Familiarize yourself with the author's work and style. A symbol in a piece of literature often represents an important issue of the time in which the author lived, or has personal significance to the writer. Edgar Allan Poe, for example, is well-known for the tragedy he suffered during his lifetime. His stories and poetry often included dark imagery and death which were undoubtedly symbolic of the events in his life.
Trust your feelings. If an image or object described by the author makes you react in a certain way, you are probably on to something, never discredit your own feelings just because you're a novice. It is very likely that the author planted the image in the work in a particular way to alert the reader that a symbol is important.
Look to others. There's no shame in reading critical essays about a literary work to gain a better understanding of it, or in discussing a piece of literature with a teacher or classmate. With experience, finding symbols will become easier, but when you are first starting out, it never hurts to get ideas from others who have a better grasp of symbolism.

9. Understanding Symbolism:
Write a journal entry describing the possession that means the most to you. Include an explanation of the reasons for its importance and what it would take for you to part with this possession.
Read a story about a couple who have little money, but precious possessions: “Gift of the Magi” by O’Henry.
What are some common symbols in our society today and what do they stand for? [Examples might be a heart symbolizes love; the flag patriotism; a lion courage]
Identify the two symbols in the story and explain what they represent.

10. The Value of Symbolism for Writers
When crafting a novel, the novelist takes the initial bright idea and draws up a one-sentence plot statement. From that, the writer can draw out an underlying theme (such as jealousy or crime doesn’t pay) which will then underpin the plot and subplots and create a sense of unity for the story. By assigning symbols for certain human qualities, and incorporating allusions to classical works that reflect the theme, the writer can enhance the theme and further weave elements of the story together.Sometimes, the writer might need to go back in a second or subsequent draft and alter the plot to insert more references to the symbols that have emerged, strengthen their meaning and draw attention to them subtly.
-James Parsons