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Symbolism In A Pair Of Tickets

Good Essays

The setting and symbolism are great ways to evolve characters, reveal underlying connections, and provide the reader with hints of meanings about the story and characters. The short story written by Amy Tan, called “A Pair of Tickets” uses the setting, and symbolisms in the main characters self discovery, reveal aspects of their lives to the readers, and relate things to a deeper meaning.
Throughout the story the main character, June May, develops immensely through the setting by finding parts of herself she thought didn’t exist, and strengthening the ties to her family while coming to terms with the past. Developing the character through the setting starts right off the bat. While June May lived in San Francisco, she constantly denied who …show more content…

Colors play into the story as more than just a repeated symbol. From the beginning to the end of the story the colors pink, green, brown, and yellow showed up. By looking at the meaning of colors in the Chinese culture it can been seen that these colors represent the seasons of June Mays life and the transformation that occurred within her. For starters, in past memories of her mother, when June May was against her culture, she would include colors of pink which in traditional times in China did not have a significant meaning; “being color-blind to the fact that lemon yellow and pale pink are not good combinations for winter clothes” (264). This is significant because of the nonsignificance of the color pink, and how her heritage was insignificant to her at the time. Also, it's important to note the use of pink clothing during the winter. Winter typically signifies death, and not much growth. These are the case in the aspect of June May’s ties to her heritage. Once June May begins her journey new colors appear; “all he is seeing outside of the train window is a sectioned field of yellow, green, and brown” (264). Green in China's culture means new beginnings, which is exactly what June May was experiencing on her way to China, a new beginning into the life of the past and her family. Colors play into the end of the story as a reflectance of the change that June May has gone through; “The gray-green surface changes to the bright colors of our three images, sharpening and deepening all at once.” (276). This shows that before her transition occurred, her family pride was dull and at the start of its path, but as it, the picture and her journey, developed, so did her ties to China, brightening, sharpening, and

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