Do any of the characters in your book remind you of any archetypal characters (e.g., the Great Mother, the Mentor, the Trickster, the Hero)?
Rex Walls (Jeannette’s dad) reminds me of the trickster. This archetypal character likes to live in the moment, and Rex definitely shows this in the book (Soulcraft). Rex is referred to as an alcoholic, and he sure is portrayed as one. Drinking alcohol is his way of escaping all his responsibilities/worries, and to just do as he pleases. The fact that he is an alcoholist shows his trickster personality, as the reason for his addiction is to live in the moment and not care about the future, or how it will affect others. A characteristic of this archetypal character is that they like to be funny and
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This shows how Jeannette has this life living in poverty, sometimes without food to eat, and shows how she becomes successful and escapes the impoverished life.
Compare the archetypal characters in your book to archetypal characters in other books, movies, or myths. What does this help to reveal about the characters in your book?
Look for any archetypal symbols that appear in the book (e.g., water, circles, the sun, the moon). What might they represent in the context of your book?
One symbol that appeared in the book was fire. There were various fires throughout this book. The first one was when Jeannette was cooking hot dogs at the age of three and burned herself. The next one was when they were in a hotel in San Francisco, and a fire erupted in the middle of the night. A bit later in the book, the family was staying at a place called Battle Mountain, and Jeannette and her brother were playing with matches in a laboratory. They mixed nuclear fuel with some other liquids, and lit it with a match. This caused an explosion to occur, and set one of the walls on fire. The most surprising fire in the first half of this book was when Rex set the Christmas tree on fire (because he was drunk). This in turn burned up all the other presents under the tree. Fire as a symbol in this book is very important. It shows the destruction of the family
Symbols in literary works can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Symbols can appear in a novel as an event, action, or object. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, the author, Zora Neale Hurston, uses the symbols of the gate to show Janie’s transitions to womanhood, independence from oppression, and realization of what love is to Janie.
As a child, Jeannette’s sense of wonder and curiosity in the world undermine the need for money. During her young adult years, a new wave of insecurity associated with her poor past infects her. Finally, as an experienced and aged woman, Jeannette finds joy and nostalgia in cherishing her poverty- stricken past. It must be noted that no story goes without a couple twists and turns, especiallydefinitely not Jeannette Walls’. The fact of the matter is that growing up in poverty effectively craftsed, and transformsed her into the person she becomeshas become. While statistics and research show that living in poverty can be detrimental to a child’s self-esteem, Jeannette Walls encourages children living in poverty to have ownership over their temporary situation, and never to feel inferior because of past or present socio-economic
What do symbols illustrate in novels? In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, symbols are illustrated through people, objects, and colors. In this novel, a group of children are faced with the difficulty of living isolated from society after their plane crashes on a deserted island. With no formal civilization, parents, or rules, the kids have the freedom to do as they choose. Throughout the novel, the boys find and use objects on the island that symbolize something of different importance. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses different objects to symbolize the difference between civilization and savagery.
Symbolism in literature is using an object to portray a different, deeper meaning in a story. Symbols represent ideas or qualities that the author has maneuvered into his or her story that has meaning. There can be multiple symbols in a story or just one. It is up to the reader to interpret the meaning of the symbols and their significance to the story. While reading a story, symbols may not become clear until the very end, once the climax is over, and the falling action is covered. In William Faulkner’s, “A Rose for Emily,” there are multiple examples of symbolism that occur throughout the story.
Symbolism is a major literary device that helps people see a book through symbols that often have a deeper meaning. A symbol is used to explain something in a different way, using images, objects, etc. instead of just saying it in words. As you search for a deeper meaning in a work of art or literature it can help you understand the authors intentions and the deeper significance of a work. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, symbols help reinforce the major themes of the book.
In many works of literature, many archetypes (or symbols) are used to help the reader understand the story of a hero’s quest. In the Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, the hero has to go on a fatal journey to uphold the reputation of Camelot. While enduring that journey, Gawain has to conquer many trails. Gawain’s succession of trials leaves the hero, like Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner, a “sadder but wiser man.” With all the trials that Gawins intakes, many archetypal characters contribute to the theme of the story.
Archetypes are universal symbols used in literature to represent fundamental human motifs. In the medieval romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the hero must undergo archetypal situations to succeed in his quest to redeem the honor of Camelot. Gawain embodies the transcendent hero as he further goes into “The Zone of Magnified Power” (Campbell 71) then faces conflict resulting from the threat placed on the society. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dramatically demonstrates how a single character can play many archetypal roles.
Jeannette was at the lower class growing up, but she learned to survive anyway she could at a very young age. Considering Jeannette’s parents were not very stable, Jeannette saw that even though she was at the lower side of things, there is always a chance for greatness. A good example
With every corner we turn in today’s culture, we become more and more aware of the archetypes that surround us. Archetypes are the works of a typical character, situation, setting, or symbol that can be found in fantasy and reality. An example would be the renowned medieval story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Pearl Poet. The author permeates the story with situational, symbolic, and character archetypes that illustrate the profound life of Sir Gawain. Sir Gawain was apprehensive of his journey at first, but as time passes, he began to make choices that unveils to the audience the true flawed knight that he was.
Archetypes act as universal symbols in literature to represent fundamental human motifs. In the medieval romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the hero must undergo archetypal situations to succeed in his quest to redeem the honor of Camelot. Gawain embodies the transcendent hero as he further goes into “The Zone of Magnified Power” (Campbell 71) then faces conflict resulting from the threat placed on the society. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dramatically demonstrate how a single character can play many archetypal roles.
Have you ever thought about further meanings being held by symbols in books that you’ve read? Symbolism is defined as the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. The definition of symbol is a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract. In Nancy Farmer’s novel, The House of the Scorpion, several symbols are utilized; each of these symbols provide greater insight into the characters of El Patron, Celia, and Esperanza, allowing a reader to deeper understand both the characters and the novel. A few of the characters in The House of the Scorpion are shown through symbols in the novel.
Archetype refers to a generic version of a personality. Archetypes are continually present in folklore and literature for thousands of years, including prehistoric artwork. The identification of archetypes in literature is to primarily find the behaviors and characteristics of the main protagonist, it is important to discover the ambiguity of how the traits change and develop throughout the rising
Have you ever wondered what something meant, like the symbols of a story? Do you ever pay attention to it? You probably haven’t, but symbols are a good thing to look for in a book. The symbol helps you grasp the story more, helps make an understanding, and it can also help you predict the next action and more. Like in the stories: “Once Upon a Time” by Nacline Gordimer, “Night Calls” by Lisa Fugard, and “Quilt of a Country” by Anna Quindlen.
There are more significant symbols in the novel such as The Boy. The Man and Boy fight to survive many hardships, but through the darkness there is light, The Boy. He is very mature and cares for every stray person they pass. One person he cares for is a man named Ely, an old man with nothing but the clothes on his back, until he meets The Boy and his father." 'You should thank him you know, I wouldn’t have given you anything' "(McCarthy 173). The Boy wants everyone to survive and is willing to share his supplies even if it means he won`t have all the things he needs to live.
Archetypes are used in literature to portray a certain meaning, that helps create a better and more meaningful story. The archetypes used can be embedded in the characters, symbols, or even rituals involved in a story. These archetypes can help give deeper meaning to the story by giving a underlying reference to concepts that are used over and over again in literature throughout history. When an author uses an archetype in his or her writing, they link it to many other stories that use that same archetype. Some do this for a reason, to give an underlying meaning, to symbolized something of importance, or even just to make their story more interesting. Many readers may not notice the underlying archetype, but sometimes the author uses them because he or she knows that the reader will.