Literary Symbolism In Shelter By Harlan Coben

People need to read Catcher in the Rye at least once before they die. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is a book that takes the reader inside the head of Holden Caulfield, a depressed sixteen-year-old, who enters a strange series of adventures in New York City. Holden writes his story from a mental hospital in California, about how he was expelled from a fancy prep school, his experiences after spending a few days in NYC. The book has had critical success since its publication in 1951, selling sixty-five million total copies, after a splendid review from the New York Times. Catcher in the Rye is a great novel because of its subtle symbolism, amazing portrayal of Holden Caulfield and ends on a higher note than most people realize.

Throughout English literature there are a number of authors who use symbolism to get a point across to the reader. Symbolism is a chance for the author to show the reader instead of tell. The futuristic book Fahrenheit 451 is a novel based around symbolism and ulterior meanings. Water and fire are symbols commonly used in all types of literature. These elements are especially apparent in mythology. Also, within the novel the parlor walls proved themselves to be more than what was initially apparent. These symbols give this book a very specific tone and mood.

In "The Jacket" Gary Soto uses symbolism to reflect on the characterization and development of the narrator. Soto seems to focus mainly on a jacket, which has several meanings throughout the story. The jacket is used as a symbol to portray poverty, the narrator's insecurity, and the narrator's form of self-destruction.

Symbolism is a major literary device that helps people see a book through symbols that often have a deeper meaning. A symbol is used to explain something in a different way, using images, objects, etc. instead of just saying it in words. As you search for a deeper meaning in a work of art or literature it can help you understand the author’s intentions and the deeper significance of a work. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, symbols help reinforce the major themes of the book.

What defines a “good” or “bad” person? The answer is complicated because we all have different perspectives on what we believe to be right and wrong. We as individuals have our own set of ethics by which we try to use when making decisions. However, when a person encounters a difficult dilemma, that choice can impact and even alter a person’s life. “Good People” by David Foster Wallace is an informative and insightful story of a young, unwed, Christian couple that are facing the conflicts of an unplanned pregnancy. Although outwardly this story seems to focus on “to abort” or “not to abort,” the underlying theme focuses on the internal conflicts the young man faces when weighing out the consequences of a decision. David Foster Wallace uses symbolism and an omniscient third person point of view in “Good People” to illustrate the internal battle one faces when dealing with the moral and religious dilemmas such as an unplanned pregnancy.

Through the short journey that Holden goes through in the novel and the interactions and experiences, fights and struggles that Holden partakes in, the reader watches and is delivered the authors ideas on life. There are three main symbols that directly introduce the theme and these symbols those are the red hunting hat, the ducks in central park, and the carousel. By using these symbols the author shows the literary ability of being able to skillfully use symbols as a tool.

In 1951 J.D. Salinger writes The Catcher in the Rye. This book tells a tail about a 16 year old boy who is afraid of changing. Holden Caulfield has yet again for the fourth time been expelled from school. For failing his classes except for english. He leaves Pencey Prep 3 days early and sets out on an adventure to find himself. Holden travels to New York and rents a hotel only to make a mistake and have a prostitute over. Maurice you delivered her to him comes back to the room to get Holden to pay up the rest of the money. Back talking results in Holden getting beat up. Maurice leaves after he gets the money, whist list Holden starts to cry. Later in the book Holden meets nuns and has a conversation with them that he enjoys. After his day with the nuns Holden meets up with his brother's ex-girlfriend Sally. Only their date doesn't last long as Holden tells her "you give me a royal pain in the ass" (Salinger 148) resulting in Sally crying and the date ending. Fast forward he meets with his sister Phoebe and tells what happened. As Holden is going through a rough time he gets checked into a mental institution. In The Catcher in the Rye Salinger uses 3 symbols to describe Holden's feelings. The 3 symbols that explain Holden's feelings, Holden's red hunting hat, the ducks in the lagoon, and Allie's baseball mitt. The three symbols represent Holden's fear of changing from a child and becoming an adult. Which he calls "phony".

In the story “Buckeyes” by Pinckney Benedict the story follows Goody Pettus a young boy who goes from someone who frequently listens to his dad's stories completely oblivious to the horrific hidden meanings of which they hold, to a boy shocked by the sudden knowledge of the truth in his dad's words and having the ability to recognize things for what they really are. After having travelled to one of the newest attractions from his dad's latest story about a deceased family at the bottom of a cliff still in their car, he begins to see things for what they really are. Seeing the actual deceased family in the car prompted Goody to rethink the story's he had heard from his dad, causing him to discover the hidden meanings behind them, helping him to truly realize the dire things his dad had said to him in the past. This helps to reveal

In the Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, there are many items of symbolism. The symbolism in the story keeps Holden sain. Some items of symbolism are Holden's’ brothers baseball mit, the schools Holden gets kicked out of, and the carousels gold rings. The baseball mit and the carousels’ gold rings are positive representation of symbolism, whereas the schools, are negative.

A baseball mitt, a red hat, a museum, and ducks are obviously completely different objects, but in The Catcher in the Rye, from 1951, they are closely related. Not only are they all cases of symbolism, but they all connect to the main character’s brother. Holden, the main character, perpetually dwells on the death of his brother Allie and these four figures are representations of his inability to mature, and also his feelings on death and his own life. However, one more symbol, perhaps the most significant one, is Holden’s vision for himself as a catcher in a field of rye. . In the novel, J.D. Salinger uses symbolism to give us deeper insight into the reminiscent feelings and depression of Holden. The symbols represent far more than just

Many novels cannot be fully understood and appreciated if only read for face value, and J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is no exception. The abundant use of symbolism in Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is of such significance that it “proclaims itself in the very title of the novel” (Trowbridge par. 1). If the symbolism in this novel is studied closely, there should be no astonishment in learning that The Catcher in the Rye took approximately ten years to write and was originally twice its present length. J.D. Salinger uses copious amounts

Holden in The Catcher in the Rye loses his innocence at an early age; the author, J.D. Salinger uses symbolism to show the idea that innocence is something that will be lost and cannot be preserved.

The author also gives the poem a very descriptive tone through a significant amount of imagery. For example, the metaphor; “his fingers make a hat about his head” (Roethke, 3), provides a detailed description of the bat’s upper body in such a way that the reader is able to picture the bat as what Roethke wants him/her to picture it as. One could also infer that the author may again be trying to make the connection between bat and man; since men wear hats and not bats. Another metaphor would be; “by day the bat is cousin to the mouse” (Roethke, 1). Of course, mouse

Danticat uses a considerable amount of symbols within her writing to dictate the suffering within. One example of such symbolism is Danticat’s implementation of butterflies. Danticat uses such symbolism to suggest the understanding of harsh realities. An example of this understanding is the female narrator and her theory behind butterflies. She believes they are able to send messages, both good and bad. An example of such is seen in the application of the black butterfly at the end of ‘Children of the Sea’. “…and then there it was, the black butterfly floating around us. I began to run and run so it wouldn’t land on me, but it had already carried its news.” (Danticat, 1996). Upon seeing the black butterfly and having it land on the female narrator, she comes to the realisation that the male narrator has died. Another application of symbolism in ‘Children of the Sea’ is the constant references to water within the story. Danticat uses the imagery of water to suggest the limitations of the characters’ worlds. Such allegory relates to

Having read many pieces of literature through short stories, it is evident that each story has its own unique use of symbolism. Diverse characters in each work of literature are used to demonstrate these forms of symbolism. The boss and his inner conflict illustrate a great deal of symbolism in “The Fly” by Katherine Mansfield. The boss’s perception of the actions of the fly creates an interesting view of the comparison of his father-son, father-fly relationship. Katherine Mansfield, a famous realist, who uses concrete images, appeals to many readers because she incorporates her life into the stories she writes.