I M Explaining A Few Things Symbols

The Alchemist , by Paulo Coelho conforms to the idea that everything is a symbol and that the meanings for a symbol can vary depending on the person that is interpreting them. This book is filled with symbolism from the beginning to the end. Every object referenced in the book was significantly symbolic. In the beginning, the scene is set at a giant tree outside of a church, which clearly symbolizes the religious and personal growth that will occur to Santiago. Later, Santiago works at crystal shop trying to make money to go home. His job in the beginning was to clean all the crystal objects. Crystals symbolize clarity and he cleaning the crystal objects in order to make them clean, therefore, if this is connected to his personal journey, he is bringing clarity of the situation to himself and in the and decides to continue the journey rather than give up. One of the more debatable symbols in this book is the desert. To some it may symbolize the hardship and tragedy due to its climate, but to others it may be a journey with rewards at the end. Continuing through every page of the story,

The poem commences by mentioning its context. Neruda states that he is directly addressing his lover, before immersing the reader in the first stanza providing ample open metaphors, creating a longing, yet sorrowful, tone of a lover. Neruda explains that everything carries him to his lover, “as if everything that exists,/ aromas, light, metals,/ were little boats/ that sail/ towards those isles of yours that wait for me.” (Line 12-16) Within this metaphor, Neruda begins to use his emotions for his love, Matilde, as the tenor, which is continuous throughout the poem.

In the fifth stanza, Neruda introduces the image of “wide kernels of maize” (Line 14). Neruda follows the image of wide kernels with an image of the kernels falling like “red hail” (Line 15). Neruda uses the juxtaposition of the maize growing and then falling as a metaphor for human life. Neruda communicates that societies will rise and fall and that for every society that falls a new one will rise up to take its place. Similar to society, maize does the same thing, when a stalk dies a new one rises up to take its place.

Furthermore, Neruda wanted to show the people from his country how they should view themselves and be content: “He spoke to them of their mountains and trees, of their rivers and nocturnal flowers” (Garcia XI).It is obvious that their country is filled of beautiful features and they should to be proud. Ultimately, in Neruda Chileans had someone who whom they could identify with above the distinctive lives they all lived. It’s easier to relate to someone who has been through similar things as you specially coming from the same country because you are able to connect with them on a different level.

Neruda express his thanks for thanks in many ways, and one way was figurative language. The speaker used a lot of powerful figurative language to get his point across. In my opinion, the strongest use of figurative language is one that hits you right in the first stanza. It states, “Thanks to thanks, / word / that melts / iron and snow.” This personification means that saying “thanks” can break through the toughest and harshest of situations (the iron) and the smallest, softest of situations (the snow). Another use of figurative language can be found in lines 9-14, where it states, “Thanks / makes the rounds / from one pair of lips to another, / soft as a bright / feather / and sweet as a petal of sugar.” First off, personification is used when the speaker says “makes the rounds from one pair

Neruda also talks about how the world is imperfect and how we should fix the world's imperfections in this same poem, saying: “the sacred surfaces get smoothed” meaning that the earth after it has been tarnished by war or destruction* must get smoothed out once more by us. This theme of longing for the world to be a better place and fixing the world is continued in the undertone of “Ode to a Tomato” where Neruda focuses mainly on politics.

“Sor Juana Works in the Garden” and “The Journey” are no exception. Symbolism is used throughout all of the two poems. Both Oliver and Atwood utilize nature as the most common symbol. “[…] the road full of fallen / branches and stones.” (Oliver 21-22) In her poem, Oliver uses nature, such as branches and stones, to represent obstacles in life. Because “The Journey” is a story of depression, the branches and stones that would normally be a small hindrance, are very difficult to deal with. However, the persona is determined to overcome his or her depression, for he or she chooses to ignore the obstacles. In “Sor Juana Works in the Garden,” Atwood uses nature commonly found in a garden to represent many different aspects. “You spent this morning among the bloodsucking / perennials,[…]” (Atwood 15-16) the bloodsucking perennials symbolize the obstacle of the persona’s self criticism. There are many times when nature represents the persona’s uncertainty and fear. The two poems are quite similar in the aspect of symbolism

"The Misfits" is a character study about people who are unable or stubbornly unwilling to adapt to the world; or to the changing world. The title characters have all been seriously hurt in the process of living and are searching (consciously and unconsciously) for ways to cope with what has happened to them in the past. To the extent that they represent an almost universal condition, the film is a symbolical study, with each character meant to illustrate a different means of coping with the realization of one's growing irrelevancy. The initial setting is Reno, symbolically appropriate because as the quickie divorce capital, it is a place where people try to remove the excess baggage of their pasts. Roslyn (Marilyn Monroe) has come there for this purpose and her new freedom is a beacon to her three male co-stars.

Throughout the book The Alchemist, there are many themes and symbols that are involved in Santiago’s journey to pursue his personal legend, such as omens. An omen is something that is believed that will tell the future; an event that can be either good or bad. While Santiago pursues his personal legend, he learns to trust and understand the omens, as the old king tells him that they are a part of the Soul of the World. The king of Salem gave Santiago Urim and Thummim, to help him decipher the omens. The King of Salem says, “In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens.

Truth cannot contradict itself; thus, to recognize a fictitious entity, one must first analyze the apparently existent. Accordingly, “The Egoist’s” first stanzas portray the individual ego as mythical and ghostlike by discriminating it from the natural world. Instantaneously, Neruda boldly asserts, “Nobody is missing from the garden. Nobody is here: / only the green and black winter” (Neruda, 1-2). Repeating “nobody is” intimates the flowers’ lack of self. Likewise, Neruda connoting green and black in the subsequent line signifies nature’s holism. Green, reflecting

Symbolism in this poem is usually used to cement the other feelings that are involved in the poem while the other poetic techniques primary focus is on the theme; such symbolism is used in this poem, purely to explore the other facets not connected to the theme. For example, the disorganization and chaotic feelings that a person would feel during a love one’s death is shown in the poem when it states “as we teased her with play, blood was filling her skin” (7) or “we thought her shy malaise was a shot reaction. / The autopsy disclosed a rupture in her liver. ”(5-6)

In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, a young shepherd boy named Santiago travels the world in search of adventure and a new life for himself. During a trip to a village in the Middle East, he is approached by an old man, Melchizedek, who claims to be a king. He tells Santiago of a treasure that is hidden in the Pyramids of Egypt and how it is Santiago’s destiny to find it. Santiago chooses to embark on a journey to find this treasure and encounters many people on his way, including a crystal merchant, an Englishman, an alchemist, and a girl from a desert oasis. As he searches for his treasure, he learns about the Soul of the World, which is the language that all of creation uses to communicate with each other.

Another example of metaphor that also highlights the feelings of Neruda is at the beginning of the poem, “They disappear among my clothes,

We experience the world through the different symbols our five senses are absorbing. Also we communicate to others and ourselves through a series of symbols that are interpreted to form an idea or sensation. Our symbolic nature affects the way we think by giving each individual a unique experience through the same symbols. Sure we all have a general sense of what someone or something is trying to communicate to us but that doesn't mean that we all react the same way or even interpret the symbols the same way. Our individuality creates a personalized reaction because we all experienced different things in the past. No two people have experienced the same exact situations their entire lives. Even on a genetic level only twins are identical. All symbols are open to interpretation.

“The night is shattered and she is not with me”(Neruda, 2443). In these lines he associates his emotional feelings to his surroundings such as the night wind singing, or the blue stars shivering in the distance. He has lost a girl that he loved and his pain is so great that everything around him must suffer as well. The night is protected by the consummation of their love and when that love is lost the night is shattered. His pain also reaches to the stars, which are shivering because when love is lost his heart has become cold. In his poem political poem about the Spanish War “I’m Explaining a Few Things”, Neruda uses metaphors and figurative language to describe the beauty of his home and the havoc caused by the fascists. “I lived in a suburb/ of Madrid, with bells, / and clocks, and tree” (Neruda, “ I’m Explaining a Few Things” 2445). “From there you could look out/ over Castille’s dry face:/ a leather ocean” (Neruda, 2445). “The bonfires/ leapt out of the earth/ devouring human beings…” (Neruda, 2445). He describes Spain’s beauty as a leather ocean with flowers everywhere, bells, clocks, trees, and a house with children and dogs. Then all of a sudden the beauty of his home has vanished and replaced with fire and gunpowder.