Visual Symbolism In Labyrinth By Jorge Luis Borges

Viramontes uses figurative language like similes and metaphors to show Estrella’s frustration with her lack of understanding of the world around her her teachers and her understanding of the tools. The author says, “…all that a jumbled steel inside the box… seemed as confusing and foreign as the alphabet she could not decipher.” (line 5-8). As Estrella looked inside the tool chest she was not able to identify what the tools were, which caused her to feel anger. Moreover, the author compares Estrella’s confusion of the tools in the tool chest to her understanding of the alphabet that confused her. This was significant since it showed that just like the secrets she thought were inside the tool chest, Estrella also felt her teachers were keeping secrets from her. The author says, “Estrella hated when things were kept from her. The teachers in the school did the same, never giving her the information she wanted. Estrella would ask over and over. So what is this, and point to the diagonal lines written in chalk on the

Plato illustrates the cave as “a cell down under the ground” filled with pitch darkness. Including, two people who never knew reality. Shackled to the chains onto a seat for the rest of their lives as they look at a wall of nothingness. Meanwhile, mesmerized while watching “the shadows of artefacts would constitute the only reality” these people

At first the prisoner who was released was doubting but with the time everything was making more sense to him and while he explored more his mind started to open and give him more knowledge on the real world outside the cave. When he went back into the cave other prisoners did not believed what he was saying and threatened to kill him if he tried to set them free. In order for someone to acquire knowledge they would have to go outside the cave and experience with their own eyes. They would also have to convince themselves that in order to get the concept of something you have to think about it and not only observe it giving it a name like “book” which refers to something that any of them has ever seen

There will always be philosophical interpretations that will create universal truths for many generations to come. In addition, these literary works enriches the audiences’ understanding of these texts as supremely important cultural and historical documents, for audiences who embrace their universal truths. Both generational audiences’ spiritual interpretations seemed to have, collectively, developed a text of extraordinary literary works that are overflowing with philosophical and truth-seeking richness.

By connecting, considering and concluding the response gained from literary works, the reader can obtain a deeper, analytical understanding of these techniques and tools used by the authors of the various literature forms. For this assignment, I have chosen to compare and contrast two separate literary works from “Journey into Literature” (Clugston, 2010), with similar themes. . The poems I will discuss are “The

The value of apprehending knowledge is questioned in The Allegory of the Cave when the prisoner has

Faber knows the importance of independent thoughts and being intellectual. He lives a happy life because of the knowledge he retained and now, passes his knowledge to others. A big lesson that Faber taught Montag was that the destruction of books by themselves is not what caused unhappiness. He explains it’s the knowledge that was within them, and how the same knowledge could be given without books, “It’s not books you need, it’s some of the things that once were in books. The same things could be in the ‘parlor families’ today. The same infinite detail and awareness could be projected through the radios and televisiors but are not”(78). Faber explains that there are plenty of ways to gain knowledge however these ways are silenced by the government on purpose to control the citizens. Faber does express there are other ways to retain knowledge but explains books were the best way. When speaking about the bible Faber says, “Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me it means texture. This book has pores”(83). Faber uses the word texture to explain the details of life. He lets Montag know that people need quality information on life and the freedom to be able to apply the information learned. People who do not have the right to retain knowledge

Pan’s Labyrinth is of a young girl named Ofelia and her expectant mother Carmen who arrives at the premises owned by her mother's new husband, who’s an army officer named Captain Vidal. Upon their arrival Ofelia notice an ancient maze called Pan’s Labyrinth that struck her curiosity. Later, Ofelia returns to Labyrinth with the guidance of a fairy that introduce Ofelia to the Faun, who tells her that she is a legendary lost princess. But, for Ofelia to return to her kingdom she must complete three dangerous tasks. The first task was to bury three magic stones deep down inside the belly of an ancient fig tree. Where Ofelia was met by a giant toad who she fed the magic stones to and retrieved a key. After retrieving the key Ofelia discover that her dress had been ruined as it laid in the mud because of the bad weather that suddenly came about. As Ofelia returns from the woods she later discovers that her mother health is steadily declining. So, the faun gave Ofelia a magical root to place under her mother’s bed in a bowl milk with two drops of blood. The magical root was to ensure the survival of Ofelia’s unborn brother. For Ofelia’s next task, she must go in the underground chamber with a horrifying creature called the Pale Man to retrieve and item using the key she found in the fig tree. But, the only way to access the underground chamber is with drawing of a door using chalk. However, there is a catch, Ofelia mustn’t remain in the chamber too long or eat any of the food in the chamber. So, that the creature wouldn’t be disturbed from its slumber.

I grew silent, wondering about the life around me… Could I ever learn about life and people? To me, with my vast ignorance…it seemed a task impossible of achievement…I had learned to live with hate. But to feel that there were feelings denied me, that the very breath of life itself was beyond my reach, that more than anything else hurt, wounded me…I felt trapped and occasionally, for a few days, I would stop reading. But a vague hunger would come over me for books, books that opened up new avenues of feeling and seeing… Again I would read and wonder as only the naïve and unlettered can read and wonder." (250-252)

We as humans tend to have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. We look for knowledge about everybody and everything that surrounds us from our day-to-day life. Sadly though, we must accept that in the grand scheme of life we (as a society) tend to put pleasure above our quest for knowledge. The pursuit of knowledge tends to take time and energy, two things we call invaluable, and it also shows us things that might depress us. Contrastingly, ignorance takes no time and energy. Also, (as the common saying goes) ignorance is bliss. It keeps ugly truths away from us. But that is no reason to forsake knowledge for ignorance. In the early 1900’s, two books were published that would eventually be referred to the pinnacle of classical literature.

In his collection of short stories, Ficciones, Jorge Luis Borges uses dreams, imagination and fantasy to establish ambiguity in his stories. With the use of juxtaposition and symbols, Borges blends a realm of dreams and imagination into the individual’s everyday worldly experiences. Through these devices, Borges commonly blurs the line between aspects of reality for his characters versus the constructs of his or her mind. By combining the real with the fictitious, Borges incorporates ambiguity into his stories and introduces his readers to new perspectives of world around them.

aims his focal point at imagery to provide vivid and rich details. Literary devices play a crucial

"I turned my chair to the fire and dozed. Again the atoms were gamboling before my eyes.... [My mental eye] could distinguish larger structures, of manifold conformation; long rows, sometimes more closely fitted together; all twining and twisting in snakelike motion. But look! What was that? One of the snakes had seized hold of its own tail, and the form whirled mockingly before my eyes. As if by a flash of lightning I awoke." (2).

In Jorge Luis Borges’ short story “The Library of Babel”, the author depicts the entire universe in the form of a mysterious and intricate “Library.” The author gives life to the library by describing the fruit- like “bulbs” that emit light, as well as a vestibule which contains two compartments for “sleeping and satisfying one’s physical necessities.” (Borges 112) This library is lined with “an infinite number of hexagonal galleries,”(Borges 112) containing bookshelves with an immeasurable amount of books. However, most of these books are indecipherable, and therefore, meaningless. Borges’ characterization of the library leads the reader to believe that he is alluding to the numerous books of the Bible. He questions the Bible’

In another words Borges through his character, Pierre Menard, primarily examined the terms of the originality, inspiration, and innovation in the art. Borges argues for strong mutual connections between the written work (art work) and the reader (observer) and written work (art) and the creator. He created his fictional world in which he unfolded the story encompassing his philosophy of art, self examined it from different angles without a fear of overestimating values of his own work because he is just objectively praising Pierre Menard’s artistic product.