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Comparing Symbolism In The Tell-Tale Heart And The Visit

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Symbols are one of the most often used literary devices found in short stories. They are the most unique and distinctive objects found in a short story as their significance is great. Symbols can represent anything ranging from a body part to an object. In The Tell Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe, and The Visit, by Ray Bradbury, symbols play a key role in the shaping of the plot and the atmosphere throughout the story. Firstly, this is shown through the importance of the heart in the two stories. Secondly, it is shown through the significance of the eyes in the two stories. Lastly, it is shown through the two dead bodies that the plot is based around in the stories. Although the 'Tell-Tale Heart' and 'The Visit' both use similar symbols to …show more content…

In the 'Tell-Tale Heart' the author uses the symbol of the eye to portray a truly dark and gothic atmosphere. For example when he is describing his feelings for the old man he says " I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever." (Poe) This quotation is important because he is describing his plans and explaining why he is going to kill the old man. This is significant because it shows how dark the atmosphere of the story is as he is killing the old man just because he despises his eye. 'The Visit' also uses the eye in the story but to show a comforting atmosphere. For example in the story as Mrs. Hadley was talking to William Robinson she said "Yes, there are others. My son, his vision was given to someone in Oregon." (Bradbury, 4)This quotation is important because it shows that he wasn't the only one that had received something from Mrs. Hadley's son. This is significant as it creates a more comfortable relationship between the two which leads to Mrs. Hadley being able to hear her sons heart. The eyes in the 'Tell-Tale Heart' represent darkness and make it a gothic genre but 'The Visit' uses the eye to develop a more comfortable relationship between the …show more content…

In the 'Tell-Tale Heart' Edgar Allen Poe uses the dismembered body of the old man to set a dark and gruesome atmosphere. For example when the author was talking about the old man's body and hiding it he says "First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs."(Poe) This is important because he is describing to us how he dismembered the corpse. This is significant because it shows a dark atmosphere of how he so cunningly cut up the corpse all because of the eye. The dismembered body in 'The Visit' represents a very caring atmosphere as the son of Mrs. Hadley donated all of his organs. For example when the women and man were conversing between each other the man says "To me it does. I'm alive because of the gift." (Bradbury, 4) This shows that he is grateful for her son. This is significant because it shows how his dismembered body saved someone's life to create a satisfying and caring atmosphere. In the 'Tell-Tale Heart' the dismembered body was viewed as gruesome as it was the remains of someone he murdered but in 'The Visit' the dismembered body represented organ donor and saving many people's

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