This passage occurs as the man and the boy enter into this house, scavenging for food. This passage is important to the book because it highlights the main archetype used in this novel: light versus dark. As the man and the boy are going to the basement, the man “flicked the lighter and swung the flame out over the darkness like an offering” (93). The flame, coming from the lighter, is a symbolism of hope. The motif of hope is used numerously throughout the book to indicate that hope is fuel for survival. The simile, “like an offering”, represents the book as a whole (93). The world of darkness wants to offer this element of hope. This simile also magnifies the thirst for hope. The offering of hope is a desperate action, which indicates that
Correspondingly, the kitchen light, which is used as image technique, is also employed as symbol to give a deeper meaning to the story. In the beginning when her father leaves the kitchen, the light goes off. Successively, after killing the coyotes “her father came back in, turned the kitchen light out.” (59) The light symbolizes the good and the warmth of the house. When the light goes off, the author represents the disruption well-being and happiness, consequently, when the father turns the light on this gesture represents the return of
The visual design in ‘Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope’ transformed the film industry, setting new standards for years to come. Through animation, detailed models, sets and computer-controlled motion photography, George Lucas created a futuristic sci-fi that was realistic and gripping. In Star Wars: A New Hope, one scene stands out from all others: the Binary Sunset scene. One of the most iconic moments from all of Star Wars, the scene uses elements of visual design that display the forces of good and evil, destiny, and most importantly, the recurring theme of hope.
In the opening of the book, fire is introduced. The first line it states it, “..was a pleasure to burn” meaning the fire was all around the earth which could mean the end is near.
He uses specific choice of words like "Dark", "Sorcerer" and "Visions" to provide a sense of wonder and mystery as if it was an adventure. Which portrays the anticipation that Douglas feels towards all of the adventures that summer will bring. The passage also consists of a simile in lines 48 through 50. The sentence reads "The street lights, like candles on a black cake, went out." This particular lines connect to the first paragraph of the whole passage which mentioned the sun hasn't rised. The simile is a comparing lit street lights to that of candles which at first are lit but once you blow them out it's light is gone. The lines are explaining that the street lights are off, now that they are not needed since the sun is out. Personification is found in lines 49 through 50. Which say the following " As house lights winked slowly on." This sentence,personifies house lights as winking which represents house lights slowly turning on. Therefore, people are starting to wake up and the day is about to commence. Towards the end of the passage Douglas Spaulding is preparing to leave his home and enjoy his summer. A metaphor is illustrated in line 74 through 75. For example "The town trolley would sail the rivering black streets." In the sentence, the streets are being compared to an ocean. Which portrays Douglas imagination and desire for his summer adventures to begin. Visual
“We blew out the candle….” The first thing that is apparent about this quote is the use of we. The word we is used throughout the book in place of I. This is directly related to the society in the novel
"Although there was evening brightness showing through the windows of the bunkhouse, inside it was dust". This shows that the light tries to get in but never manages to penetrate the darkness. This is important to the themes of the story because workers' hope for a future farm is just like the light while the cruel reality is like the darkness. Their efforts to realize this plan is just like the light trying to penetrate the darkness, but their dream
Imagery is another important element which London uses to illustrate and emphasize his theme. In “To Build a Fire” Earl Labor sees the “mood and atmosphere, which is conveyed through repetitive imagery of cold and gloom and whiteness,” as being “the key to the story’s impact” (63). London does rely heavily on imagery to set the mood of the story, and in this way he draws a picture of the harsh environment that his character must endure. London uses imagery with such skill that the reader can almost feel the deadly cold of the environment and can almost hear the “sharp, explosive crackle” when the man’s spit would freeze in mid-air (119). Through the use of such vivid imagery, London guides the reader toward the realization of the story’s theme; the reader can visualize the man “losing in his battle with the frost” and therefor can picture man in his conflict with a cruel and uncaring universe (128). Symbolism is also an important element in “To Build a Fire”. David Mike Hamilton’s criticism, he says “the fire symbolizes life as does the white snow that falls at the beginning of the story.” He also views “the dark point in the midst of the stamped snow, foretelling the end of the fire, and thus of life” (2). I strongly agree with Hamilton’s criticism; “the dark point in the midst of the stamped snow” because it not only foretells the end of the fire but of the end of life itself.
Also, ‘the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows’, this represents that the little hope in the bunk house only helps to further illuminate the darkness and harshness of society. In a setting, such as the ranch, where dreams are suppressed and suffocated, they take on a greater importance and significance to the mens lives, they rely on the dreams to get by.
Exemplar case: Kathy is a married 45-year old mother of one and she has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Kathy has always been a positive person in every situation and is quite known at her church for her smile and uplifting words of encouragement. Kathy’s husband and teenage daughter came to visit her at the hospital and were initially shocked and saddened by her sickly appearance. Her husband
The fire is a symbol for hope to be rescued and it also symbolizes destruction. The fire is a signal for the ships to let them know that there is someone stuck/living on this island. If the fire goes out, the hopes of the people stuck would be lost too.
Finally, Fire can represent hope. Fire creates smoke, a very visual symbol for either rescue or panic. In the case of LOTF, the first is true. With the smoke that comes from the fire, the boys have a small chance of signaling a passing ship and finding their way back home. When the Naval officer comes to rescue the boys, he notices them because of the smoke that has now engulfed the island, “We saw your smoke.” With the hope of the rescue still burning as long as the fire stays lit, the boys have something to survive for. Without the fire, the boys are lost and alone in a hostile world, where it becomes kill or be killed.
The Hearth and The Salamander, the title of the first chapter, is another symbol. The hearth which provides warmth and comfort and the salamander which is believed to live in fire and not get burned contradict each other. One symbol shows the bad side of fire and the other shows the good side. The salamander was also a symbol on his firefighters badge: He stood in the hall of his house putting on his badge with the orange salamander burning across it. (19) It was also on the fire trucks he used to make the fires, They sat there looking out the front of the great Salamander as they turned a corner and went silently on. (40) Both of these sentences show that the fireman are proud of what the salamander represents, whether it means the same thing or something different, it was important to them.
In contrast, Golding uses the color black to portray the leader of the choir boys, Jack, one of the other main characters, as an image of darkness. “Their bodies, from throat to ankle, were hidden by black cloaks which bore a long silver cross on the left breast and each neck was finished off with a hambone frill” (Golding, p 16). This contrast between Ralph and Jack, or light and dark, civilization and savagery, acts as a foreshadowing of the conflicts between the two of them. Another image for light is the signal fire. The boys decided that it was necessary to make a fire to increase their chances of being rescued. “There’s another thing. We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire” (Golding p 38). The signal fire, the light, symbolizes hope and their connection to
“You don't understand the power of loss when it first hits you like a baseball coming fast from an out-of-control pitcher. You reel back stinging from the blow.” (Bauer,162). Throughout the novel Hope Was Here we see characters go through struggles and gain strength to overcome them. In our everyday lives we have struggles that we also have to overcome. In the novel Hope Was Here, one of the characters Braverman has to choose his family or education. The character Addie, faces the struggle of miscarrying three babies. In my life I have struggles and so do the people around me. For instance, my grandma went through the struggle of losing her husband. From this novel it is learned that if there's no struggle there's no strength.
When the fire is maintained, the boys want to be rescued. However, when the fire burns low or goes out it symbolizes how the boys have lost sight of their desire to be saved, and how they have accepted savagery into their lives. The signal fire also symbolizes the measurement of the strength of the civilized instinct and hope remaining on the island.