symbol person, object, action, place, event that suggests a more complex meaning than its literal...
DESCRIPTION
UNIVERSAL SYMBOL (ARCHETYPAL) Suggest the SAME thing to most people e.g. the Old man the MotherTRANSCRIPT
SYMBOL Person, object, action, place, event
that suggests a more COMPLEX meaning than its LITERAL one
Usually represents something ABSTRACT (like virtue or vice)
Symbolic meaning HOUSE
Security Privacy Family Warmth
UNIVERSAL SYMBOL(ARCHETYPAL)Suggest the SAME thing to most
peoplee.g. the Old man the Mother
CONVENTIONAL SYMBOLSuggest the SAME thing to people
who share common cultural and social assumptions
e.g. rose (love) skull (poison)
LITERARY SYMBOLS Usually adopted from universal or
conventional symbols Different meanings to different
people Enrich the depiction of character or
theme Expand possible meanings of a story
ALLEGORY Characters, events etc. that represent
qualities or ideas related to morality , religion or politics
The most famous allegory in English is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (1678), an allegory of Christian salvation represented by the varied experiences of its Everyman hero, Christian
MYTH Stories that a particular culture believes
to be true Stories about divine or heroic beings
passed down traditionally, and linked to the spiritual or religious life of a community, endorsed by rulers or priests
Use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity
e.g. Greek mythology, Roman mythology
THEME Main idea of a story that extends
beyond the story and applies to the outside world
e.g. A Rose for Emily Theme: The search for love and security,
a basic human need, can be met unfavorably in equivocal environments.
A story may have more than one theme
Answer to these questions: What is the author trying to
communicate? What's the author's point?
Which of the following are true of literary themes?
(Choose all that apply)A. Inferred from evidence in the text B. Arise out of the interplay between story elements C. Stated clearly at the beginning of the story D. Are universal E. Should be expressed in a complete sentence
IDENTIFYING THEMES Title Narrator’s or character’s statement Arrangement of events Conflict Point of view Symbols Changes in a character