Georgia O'Keeffe and Willa Cather's Use of Symbolism and Imagery

Georgia o'keeffe’s series of the Jack in The Pulpit contains several paintings depicting a specific type of bloom, including her “Jack In The Pulpit NO.4.” The first impression of this piece is that it is an abstract form of art, however this is not the case because it is representing a specific type of flower. This gives the piece a very specific subject that is being depicted. This is easier to identify once the Jack in The Pulpit no4 is placed back within the context of the series of painting that O’Keeffe painted using this flower as the subject, showing the importance of understanding context when looking at art historically instead of simple appreciation. The painting also appears to be idealized as O’Keeffe began with a view of the

      Willa Cather's novel My Ántonia dramatizes the effect the frontier has on both native-born people and immigrants that come to the West in search of new beginnings. The story centers around two families living in a remote area of Nebraska from completely diverse backgrounds. This tale suggests that regardless of where a person comes from, the trials and tribulations of living under such tough conditions will ultimately impact his/her future existence. Cather's characters, no matter the age or heritage, are continuously re-defined, as if reborn, into a new life by surviving the harsh realities of the frontier. Much of the creation of these characters takes place in the very

Willa Cather is well known for her vivid imagery. I believe this plays a major role in telling of the story. When using imagery it can help readers imagine a more clearer picture when reading. Willas imagery has helped making literary criticism more noticeable and help you have a better understanding . For an example on page 16, “As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of winestains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running.”. Imaging this has helped set up what Antonia sees in the prairie. I think Willa makes imagery more vivid to make the reader enjoy the image just as much as she does. Doing this ensures the author that her

"The meaning of a word - to me - is not as exact as the meaning of a color. Colors and shapes make a more definite statement than words. I write this because such odd things have been done about me with words. I have often been told what to paint. I am often amazed at the spoken and written word telling me what I have painted. I make this effort because no one else can know how my paintings happen. Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest."

In Gabriel Garcia-Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold, the concept of appearance versus reality is manifested in three of the major characters around whom the novel revolves. The surface impressions of Santiago Nasar, Angela Vicario, and Bayardo San Roman are deeply rooted in Latin culture; underneath the layer of tradition, however, lies a host of paradoxical traits which indicate the true complexity of human nature.

Of the many literary devices used by writers to make their work more powerful and layered, symbolism is one of the most effective, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a text that relies heavily on its use to develop its narrative. The novella recounts, in the form of a pseudo-journalistic reconstruction, the murder of Santiago Nasar in a small Colombian town in the mid 1900’s. Through the course of the novel, Marquez employs various symbols to reinforce key ideas, themes and techniques. This helps the novella break the monotony of a linear storyline and unfolds the plot in a unique way that compounds both effect and meaning.

The adolescent and young adult stages in a person’s life are impressionable years, which is clearly demonstrated by Willa Cather’s ability to so vividly recall the details of rural Nebraska, despite only living there from the ages of nine to sixteen. However, in those seven short years, young Wilella - her birth name - met many questionable “mentors” who held great significance and responsibility in the life choices she pursues. The first of these shady characters in need of assessment is a man by the name of William Ducker.

In his article “Latin Names and Images of Ugliness in Flannery O’Connor’s ‘Revelation’,” literary scholar Ronald E. Pepin writes about the prevalence of ugliness in this addition to O’Connor’s continuum. He begins his analysis with the main character and protagonist; Ruby Turpin. Ruby is portrayed as self-righteous and blind to her own flaws. Her judgmental nature and entitled attitude lead to conflict with other characters; most notably antagonist Mary Grace, who quickly sees the “ugliness” within Ruby Turpin. In the short story, Mary Grace quietly sits across the doctor’s office from Mrs. Turpin trying to distract herself from Ruby’s racist and condescending comments; but fails to withhold her anger and lashes out verbally and physically. According to the article, Ruby is the only character who’s

From January 20 to 23, I went to Santa Fe and San Ildefonso in New Mexico with Dr. Laughlin and my classmates. I was totally surprised by the architecture of the housing and the rich collection of Native American cultures. I expected to see traditional suburbs but instead I found almost everyone has built houses resembling traditional adobe homes which I had never seen. Houses, businesses, government buildings including museums are almost built in this style. The colors seem to blend in with the desert. One of the most exciting events I attended in New Mexico was the museum presentation of the Zuni tribe. Although we actually did not meet the Zuni tribe, we learned a lot about them because Dawn Kaufmann who is a guide at the Museum of

In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe uses many examples of imagery, such as the descriptions of the carnival, characters, the walk through the catacombs, and much more throughout the story to build suspense and intrigue for the readers and add to the mystery of Montresor’s underlining actions of the revenge and deception of the foolish Fortunado.

Hispanic art, food, and entertainment all have a common theme; they are all fun, light-hearted, yet fulfilling and rich in cultural heritage. On one side, Mexican culture in particular loves to make fun of itself. There are many depictions in song and art of lazy Mexicans in large sombreros with thick mustaches eating burritos. On the other hand artists like Diego Rivera paint large murals depicting rich historical events like the revolution, in bold colors on controversial topics (This Old, n.d.).

   In her novel, My Antonia, Cather represents the frontier as a new nation. Blanche Gelfant notes that Cather "creat[ed] images of strong and resourceful women upon whom the fate of a new country depended" . This responsibility, along with the "economic productivity" Gilbert and Gubar cite (173), reinforces the sense that women hold a different place in this frontier community than they would in the more settled areas of America.

At first glance, the similarities between Vincent van Gogh and Georgia O’Keeffe appear minimal at best. A young van Gogh died penniless and largely unknown in a remote backwater in the south of France, while O’Keeffe lived out a long and illustrious life as one of the most famous artists of the early twentieth century. Where O’Keeffe was the object of admiration and fascination, van Gogh was the object of pity and derision. Where O’Keeffe was heralded in her lifetime for capturing the spirit of the desert landscapes of her beloved New Mexico, van Gogh was a was a man without a country, driven by destitution and illness to wander Europe in search of peace and some measure of stability. Despite their differences, however, O’Keeffe and van Gogh share vital similarities. Both van Gogh and O’Keeffe used art to advocate for the inclusion of the disenfranchised and the forgotten (namely, the poor and the ill in van Gogh’s oeuvre and women in O’Keeffe’s); both revolutionized how the natural world is seen; both are characterized by aesthetic styles which are highly sensory and sensual, representing psychological and physical states in such groundbreaking ways that they change the modern world’s understanding of what it means to be human.

Edgar Allen Poe is known for the various literary devices he uses in his works. One of the most famous devices he uses is symbolism. In many of his stories, including “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Cask of Amontillado,” Poe uses symbolism to further develop each story by the messages he writes between the lines. Symbolism is an important aspect of Poe’s many works, seeing as how it allows the readers to make connections within the stories. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Poe represents symbolism through the title of the short story, the outfit Fortunato wears, and the Montresor family motto and coat of arms.

The nineteenth century produced many esteemed authors, including Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman who became two of Americas most popular poets. While vastly different in style and personality, both Dickinson and Whitman relate to many people on an emotional level through their poetry, even in the twenty-first century. The works of poetry by Dickinson and Whitman can be compared on levels of style and form and both writers composed beautiful verses of high quality. Through the following comparisons, it will become apparent how Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman influenced American literature and culture both in similar and diverse ways.