I really liked this chapter. It was nice to finally hear an "authority" tell me that not every symbol has to mean the same thing to every reader. I think I am more like those of you who want someone to tell me exactly what the symbol stands for, but it is nice to realize that I can figure it out for myself and get it right--even if it's only right for me.
I agree with him that there are things that have a certain meaning--The Road Not Taken is always going to symbolize a choice we did not make--but that choice is different for everyone.
So what do you think about symbols? Are you one of those readers who sees symbolization in everything? Do you have difficulty identifying symbols? What books, stories, or poems can you think of with a symbol? What did it symbolize?
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I guess I am either way. There are some books or poems where I can automatically pick out the symbol the author is trying to use, but then there are some where I have no and I do not realize the author is even using a symbol until someone mentions it.
In the short story The Scarlet Ibis, that we read, the bird was out of place and didn't really belong which symbolizes the brother not belonging.
I am definitly not a very deep reader, however, I do see symbols in a lot of things. A lot of times, I will stretch the symbol to make it fit what is going on in my life, even when it really would fit antoher object or situation better. A lot of times, I do not catch teh intent
ional symbols that the author puts in his/her works. One intentional example i can think of in a work is in the book "fahrenheit 451". The book he takes form a house could be taken to represent the beginning of him thinking for himself.
I'm more of the type of person who likes to simply read the book. I don't spend time to think about everything and determine if it symbolizes something or not.
I can think of a few symbols from Septimus Heap. One: he find a ring with a dragon on it that glows in the dark, symbolizing his power of "light" magic. Two: there's a giant boat...shaped like a dragon...that flies for the princess, symbolizing an escape from the land that tries to claim her.
I do not read deep into books. I have a more literal outlook of them. Maybe after I finish a book and actually take time to go back and think about it, I could recognize the symbols, but I normally don't do a lot of interpretation in the books I read.
In "The DaVinci Code" there are a lot of symbols. Some of the symbols though were actual symbols.
I do NOT recognize symbols in books at ALL. I just read and go with the flow. I definitely have difficulty identifying symbols. I really can't think of any books that have symbols because I don't really recognize them, but I know that there are symbols in a lot of books, I just don't pick up on it.
I think that in certain books, it's really hard to find symbols in them. Some of the stuff we've read in class I totally did not get the symbolism until we talked about it. I do remember that the Scarlet Ibis dying symbolized Doodle dying. That was pretty easy to find and understand, but most books are a lot harder.
I think that symbols are out into stories to make them interesting. I usually do not take the time to sit down and read that carefully into a book to understand the symbols.
To tell you the honest truth when i read books im not looking for a deep meaning in the book. Im more of a literal reader. Like in our poetry responses i have to keep reading it to get anything out of it, and if i read something enough then i can find some kind of symbol in it, even though it might not be the right symbol that they were trying to put off.
I think that symbols are one of the most important parts of reading a novel or other form of literature.I do tend to see a symbol, or at least a potential for one in most things i read. When you realize that something means more than it's literal sense, or you can tie it back to another situation and connotation, it give the story a deeper meaning and makes it more personal and relatable to the individual. Just about every book or poem you read holds some form of a symbol, but an exclusive example is in the book The Scarlet Letter. Hester's letter, elaboratly decorated herself, is more than just a symbol of her sin of adultry. it slowly becomes part of who she is, and becomes her discovery of self not matter what others do or say in judgement of her.
I am the kind that given enough time, I could find a symbol in almost anything. I say almost because I think sometimes readers look so deep into a work trying to find some profound symbol that they miss the point. People can turn things into more than they are up to the point of just beign ridiculous. In "The Chronicles of Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis, the main characters symbolize people from the Bible. For example, Aslan the lion symbolizes Jesus.
Honestly, I don't usually read stories for deeper meanings. I usually only pick up on the obvious ones. Although sometimes taking the time to really think about it can improve the book. An example of a symbol would be the Amulet in A Great and Terrible Beauty. It symbolizes the bond that Gemma has iwth the Order, and the alliance she has to make.
I usually don't pick up on symbols in books unless they just really stand out, but once someone mentions that there is a symbol I go back and read it and then I understand. I think that authors incorporate symbols because it gives a deeper meaning to what is being read.
I enjoy stories that have a deeper meaning than originally thought, but it's sometimes hard for me to pick it out. I also usually spend my time trying to figure out the "right" symbol so i never just look at it from my own point of view. There usually is no "right" way to look at it though, so once i get over that I can usually think of something.
I love symbols in literature and all of my favorite authors use tons of symbols in their works. Odds are, if an object is repeated several time then it is a symbol. Of course, sometimes I see symbols as something different, and sometimes see symbols that aren't there, but I think that everyone does.
Catcher In The Rye would just be an angsty teen novel without its excellent use of symbol. His bright red hat is a pervasive symbol of how outcasted Holden feels from the world around him.
i am a deep reader only in a way that when i read the story i can pick out little details but when it comes to the gist of the story i have no clue. i do not read enough to say i am a in depth reader if that makes any since?
I like symbols when I get them. :) But I definitely dont find a symbol for everything. There have been times when a lot of other people catch onto them easily, it just takes a lot of thinking for me. The story of Jesus rising on the third day, symbolizes rebirth.
I'm not very good at seeing symbols when I read, but I like them when I actually do. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, a neighbor tells one of the main characters that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. I think that the mockingbird symbolizes some of the characters because of their innocence.
yea im with emily. im never on the same intellectual level as the author so most of the time i dont understand when they use some of them, but when i do i feel like pretty cool. our poetry responses are like that too. i have to read through them to understand everything about it.
yes a beliaves in symbols but i bealive a synbol can always be catered too your bealifs an you can always have your opnion too what a symbol means but a great symbol i always think about is the skull in hamlet in this world pepole like to think were different discrimanate against race religeon and sexual orintaion i hope that one day that pepole see what hamlet saw an that is we are all truly the same worm food lol we were all created equal by are creater an i hope im alive to see that day come because those pepole still live today
i usually dont have any trouble identifying the meaning and the reason of smybols being in stories. if i do have trouble i try and read back or foreward to find context clues. everyday symbols remind us of something. like when its sunny outside it makes you happy and relaxed but when its couldy you feel lazy and tired.
Usually when i read books i don't pick up on any symbols or anything which can leave me lost later on in the story when those symbols become important. I like to read books in class because then the teacher can sit there and point out all those symbols and then the story makes more sense and i usually enjoy them more.
I actually like to find symbols in stories. When an author puts little secret symbols in there, i enjoy learning what they mean. I think it's neat that people think differnet things about the same symbol. It just depends on how you interpret stuff. In The Lord of the Flies the "beast" character was sort of like a Satan symbol. Also, the pig's head on the stake fowshadowed Simon's death later on in the story.
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