Think of a physical object from a story you’ve read or a movie you’ve seen that has held some level of symbolic importance. What was the object and what story/movie was it from? What did it symbolize? Why was it so important to the story?
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In Things fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, the fire was used to symbolize masculinity of the main character. Okonkwo had suppressed any sign of feminity in order to adjust to the chauvinistic ideal of his society in order to live a successful life. Fire is known to provide warmth to some degree until it would be destructive. However, it must consume it surrounding in order to continue to emit warmth. In the case of Okonkwo, he selfishly killed his son to upheld his ideal.
Personally, I think that a setting brings a magical touch to a story. It makes the reader travel throughout many places just by reading the book. It makes the reader to feel the emotion that the character is trying to communicate. For example “It was a dark and stormy night” just by seeing this sometimes we have the idea that the character is sad at this moment….
In the book 1984, by George Orwell, the telescreen represents Big Brother (or The Party). Big Brother is the ruler, or the dictator of Oceania and he wants to completely control Oceania and its citizens, and by doing so, they put telescreens in every citizens apartment. A telescreen works like a camera and a microphone, and anything that they say or do, it is being recorded by the telescreen. The purpose of having it is to prevent rebellions, so anyone that is caught saying or do anything suspicious that might lead to a rebellion, will be caught and face vaporization(death). Big Brother wants its citizens to remain loyal to him, and in order to do so, he wants to install fear amongst its citizens, so when one sees a telescreen, it is the same as seeing Big Brother, and they need to show their utmost loyalty to Big Brother by following his orders. Overall, the telescreen symbolizes surveillance or control and this object is extremely important to the story because it is one of the key factors for Big Brother to control its citizens.
In the book “Survival in Auschwitz” by Primo Levi, a number tattoo was used to symbolize survival for each prisoner in the camps. A number tattoo was basically a way to identify the prisoners, such as where they came from, how long they were in the camps, their experience, and whether they were old prisoners or new prisoners. The lower the number tattoo, the more experience the prisoner has, and the longer their duration. In conclusion, the number tattoo was used to symbolize their survival during the holocaust and a way of identity for the prisoners.
In the movie “Inceptions” starring Leonardo Dicaprio, the symbolic object is a spinning top. It symbolized a connection to the past and as a reality check. The top belonged to to the main character wife who passed away, therefore it has emotionally connection. With it being a connection to his wife, this symbolizes his feeling of guilt and regrets over his wife’s death. The top also symbolizes whether he is still in a dream or reality. If the top continuously spin and never falls it means he is still in his dreams. If it stop spinning then it means he is back in the real world. The main character Cobb(Leonardo Dicaprio) has the power to travel in dreams when he is asleep. He been dream traveling for so long, he forgets the difference being in a dream and reality.
In the story of David and Goliath the biblical hero and symbol of Florence, David (1501) has a symbolic object of the human body representing strength and beauty.
During the high renaissance, Michelangelo symbolized the perfection of the human body that focused on balance and ideal form by using a focus background depicting the biblical hero and symbols of Florence ,David. Michelangelo with the occasion of renaissance exemplifies an imperishable image that is synonymous with perfection and beauty. His use of vertical and curvilinear lines where the figure stands with one leg that supports the rest of the body weight creating a youthful beauty. This interpretation of the standing heroic male nude create a sense of beauty in our mind.
In Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini, the burqa symbolizes the control of men over women. The main character, Mariam, was forced to wear the burqa and was told that her face was only for her husband to see. At first, she thought her husband was trying to protect her but then she felt like it was suffocating her. All the female characters were forced to wear the burqa when they got married. When they were young, they did not have to wear them and that is when they were free to do whatever they want. However, after getting married, they were forced to stay home and was expected to keep the house clean and have food ready for their husband after they came back from work. This represents freedom taken away from her.
In the movie, Annabelle directed by John R. Leonetti, the symbolic physical item in the film is the doll named Annebelle that is demonic. The doll Annabella is based on a true story. The movie is an actual case history that involves the supernatural. The dollar is kept in a glass box at The Warrens Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut. In the movie, Annabella was a gift given by the husband, John Form, to his wife, Mia. However, the real story, the doll, was provided by the mother to her daughter, Donna. The doll is the most critical object in the story because it brings drama and action in the firm that keeps on the audience’s attention attentive.
In the book, “Fahrenheit 451” by Bradbury started Montag’s (main character) journey from burning the books without understanding the meaning of it. Burning the books symbolizes many ideas, such as if he was able to read the books, he might understand the meaning of his journeys, and all the responsibilities to his family, and life. And from his actions, he is someone who loves his job than any other things, and the beginning of his journey he wasn’t able to see the reality of his life because his reality was covered with darkness.