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 Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:09 pm
People say that there are various intentional symbolisms in books. I understand that some authors may put in symbolism, but I feel most probably are just trying to write a story. Am I wrong?
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 6:41 pm
I think a lot of these so-called analysts are reading way too much into things while discussing books. I doubt romance authors put much thought into anything except finding new and interesting ways to get characters to have sex.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 7:46 pm
I think that there are cases when things in novels are meant to be symbolic. But I also think that there are cases when the author simply wanted to tell a story.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:25 pm
Quote: Then there is the other secret. There isn't any symbolysm [sic]. The sea is the sea. The old man is an old man. The boy is a boy and the fish is a fish. The shark are all sharks no better and no worse. All the symbolism that people say is s**t. What goes beyond is what you see beyond when you know. by Ernest Hemingway
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:54 pm
not to use an internet meme, but...Ernest Hemingway FTW!
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:11 am
You know in about a 100yrs. You know what's going to be the 'symbolic book'? Harry Potter.
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:46 pm
twilightrosegarden You know in about a 100yrs. You know what's going to be the 'symbolic book'? Harry Potter. This makes me glad that I won't live forever. It would be a sad day when literature reaches a point such as that one.
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:56 pm
I used to be intimidated by "symbolism" in books, not because it was hard to find, but because I would always think "I don't really write symbolism into my works." eek
I don't think there is strictly symbolism or no symbolism. I think that some authors write it in intentionally, but more often than not, it is simply there. If, for example, something takes place by the sea, that location does not mean that the characters are on the brink of something vast and untamed. However, knowing something of the nature of the sea, readers might be inclined to notice that the characters are in fact on the brink of something vast and untamed simply because we notice the parallel. I've written things only to have someone come along and point out symbolism within the story that I had neither noticed nor directly intended. But the symbolism was legitimate. I simply hadn't consciously put it in.
Some teachers take the search for symbolism too far, extracting meaning from the blades of grass that a secondary character walks on. But, on the other hand, look at Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher and try to argue that the state of the house doesn't mirror or symbolize the state of the occupants. It just depends on the work and how much you want to believe was intentional.
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Romantic Conversationalist
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:19 pm
In my AP Lit class we are constantly talking about different types of criticism.. and with new criticism, it doesn't matter what the authors intentions were. While the author might have used an Oak tree for a placeholder, critics would see it as symbolism to represent masculinaty. Symbolism bothers me. Cause it seems like there is no right or wrong answer. Symbolism is just how you perceive things.
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:24 pm
I agree with what you're saying. Sometimes critics delve too deep into the supposed meanings in a book and fail to just enjoy the story presented by the author.
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:08 am
I agree. We often debated this point in my Writer's Craft class. People read to much into the symbolism to the point where we would discuss cannibalism and chicken's with their head's cut off from The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams and other like books and plays. I mean there's symbolism and then there's over-reading.
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:37 pm
rockywitch I agree. We often debated this point in my Writer's Craft class. People read to much into the symbolism to the point where we would discuss cannibalism and chicken's with their head's cut off from The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams and other like books and plays. I mean there's symbolism and then there's over-reading. O yes, i remember that well. Good times. I miss English class crying
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Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:41 am
I sometimes feel that people attempt to impose symbolism on stories in some sort of attempt to make themselves seem more academic... and I'm sure many authors put symbolism in their works... but i've met a number of authors, and i had to ask some of them about symbolism in their works, for various classes... and they often look at me as though i'm absolutely insane. I'm pretty sure most of them don't purposefully go out to make their work symbolic. The story is usually the main thing.
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Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:02 am
Everything has meaning but when you look to deep you look past the point in a fantasy novel, yes the dragon represents an obstacle but so do the things that hold the hero back...
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 8:19 pm
I choose to just read the book and not bother with symbolism unless is is part of the storyline and what the character does. If I read a book ment to be about stuff that existed in the real world, I would totaly ignore it or actually not comprehend(due to my subconscious or because I am just dumb sweatdrop )
I see no point in reading into the symbolism in a book, I read for the enjoyment of a fantasy story to escape into
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