What Does The Journey To The Stone Monkey Mean

His companions investigate a light in the forest, thinking it is fire. They lose the path and are captured by spiders. A dark forest can represent a hardship. Finally, the dark forest

forest-path". This image alludes to that of Adam and Eve being led out of the

These Grandfathers presented Black Elk with gifts to help him on his journey. A wooden cup, a bow and arrows, a white wing of cleansing, an herb to heal, a sacred pipe a flowering stick and the power to make live and to destroy were the tools that were given to him. Then, the Grandfathers showed Black Elk what was to become of his people. He was shown a holy tree which once had been flowering and was now gone. The people he was supposed to lead were thin and starving, and Black Elk cried as he saw the fate of his people.

“Well, and I suppose that means you do not want to work on the land and I shall not have a son on my own land, and I with sons and to spare.’ This he said with bitterness, but the boy said nothing” This conversation between him and his son made him finally realize that they wouldn’t carry on their father’s great values, and that is because during the time he was rich he left some traditions behind. Wang lung valued his land and above all he had faith in his gods once again. Traditional values were forgotten by the result of wealthy living, the kids not caring about the farmlands and not understanding the earth gods prove that wealth destroyed ancient traditions.

The mist in opening scene and overall color tone of grey suggests that Wang is paddling into a world of dullness. With his houseboat- his only sanctuary- Wang travels around to make a living by performing Bianlian in return of donation from people who appreciate his art on the street. Desperation and poverty are not only accompanying people in the slave market but also Wang: his wife left him after the death of his son; his only companion is not a human but a monkey. Master Liang’s confession that “ we all have our own sorrows” reflects the folk artists fate of twists and turns and bitterness. During one performance, Wang is intimidated and oppressed by soldiers, but he can only chant woefully “The dragon in the shallows is toyed with by the shrimp”. Many proverbs like this in the film convey to audiences his hardship and helplessness. Government corruption is also disclosed in the movie when Wang is falsely charged of all kidnap cases and imprisoned. In his quest for an heir, Wang visits Buddhist temple to pray and buys a Buddha to worship in the hope that it may gift him a son. All Wang’s spiritual sustenance is on the Buddha body. This showed Wang’s inner weakness and helplessness towards his own destiny.

How much deer could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck were driving down the road and came across a dead, pregnant doe? Well, the woodchuck chucking the dear is a bit irrelevant. Rather, the two poems Traveling through the Dark by William Stafford and Woodchucks by Maxine Kumin respectively focus on the relationship between humans and nature. Woodchucks takes an allegorical approach, with a heavy handed political message. Traveling simply examines the significance of human life in the context of nature. If the poems were literary characters, Traveling would be Jane Eyre, Woodchucks would be Brutus. Traveling is personal, with the narrator having a strong sense of humanity, but ultimately basing his actions on logic.

From this clarity Tayo finds himself and is able to put into perspective the community views. He finally realizes that his differences are not crazy or something to be ashamed of, but a unique way to look at the world. His ingenuity holds power because his mind is not limited by tradition or culture and that scared his community but he has finally embraced it. In Connie Jacobs’ article of explaining the mines on the lauana reservation she states the purpose of the book Ceremony.“The novel is ultimately Tayo’s story of how he must restore harmony in his community”. Jacobs explains and confirms that Tayo’s journey is all about the change and regeneration that he will bring to his community. While still on the mountain Tayo stumbles upon a rock which solidifies his place in society. He finds an ore rock that is used to symbolize the power that Betonie and Night Swans lessons have been preparing him for, “He walked to the mine shaft slow and the feeling became overwhelming: the pattern of the ceremony was completed there. He knelt and found an ore rock. The gray stone was treated with powdery yellow uranium, bright and alive as pollen; veins of sooty black formed lines with the yellow, making mountain ranges and the river across the stone. “ (Silko,228). Silko uses the symbol of Tayo holding a powerful rock with a picture of his community to metaphorically say that Tayo holds the power

The poem “The Wanderer” speaks of a man who has been exiled from his clan, and is now forced to roam the land alone. Separation from his fellow kinsmen and lord seems to be the worst fate imaginable. The man speaks of his great loss, remembering the time when he was happy with his liege,

“In the dawn there is a man progressing over the plain by means of holes that he is making in the ground. He uses an implement with two handles and he chucks it into the hole and he enkindles the stone in the hole with his steel hole by hole striking the fire out of the rock which God has put there. On the plain behind him are the wanderers

Silko uses similes to portray the value of the mountain lion. The mountain lion’s motion “were like the shimmering of tall grass in the wind.” Comparing the mountain lion to the imagery of “shimmering tall grass in the wind” portrays a magical and ethereal-like scene. The imagery gives the impression that there is beauty and value found in something fundamental. Moreover, the theme of transformation is evident through the mountain lions relentless motions. The mountain lion changes “dark as lava rocks, and suddenly as bright as a field of snow.” The “dark as lava rocks” indicates fear, confusion, and overall negativity. On the other hand, “bright as a field of snow” signifies clarity, rebirth, and cleansing. The motions of the mountain lion is parallel to Tayo’s experience and Tayo recognizes the changing as he whispers: “mountain lion, becoming what you are with each breath.” Tayo learned about the significance of the mountain lion and a lesson during their encounter.

In the suspense story, The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs, the theme is don't mess with fate. For instance, when Mr. White ignores the sergeant on how he says "​but I warn of the consequences," which is foreshadowing that something could go wrong when Mr. White uses the monkeys paw. For example, that his first wish was for 200 pounds. This proves the theme because since Mr. White messed with fate, he lost his son in got 200 pounds for his death. Another example is when they wished their son back alive, he wasn't really functional. Also, he was more zombie like that human like. This illustrates that since they wished for their son to come back he was worse than before. He was better much dead and in a grave peacefully than walking around wholesomely.

The overall essence of the stones in this short story is filled with hostility and malicious actions, which no one expected. The fact that the village had thrown away all

“You will have to go back, and keep to the other road” ... With painful steps we toiled on to reach the right road. This object once attained, soon led up to the dwellings of men. Neat, comfortable log houses, surrounded by well-fenced patches of clearing, arose on either side of the forest

Before the story begins, there is some background information concerning “The Story of the Stone“. The story is written by a Cao Xueqin. Today it is considered one of the best novels ever written. The story has a total of 120 chapters. Eighty of the chapters are written by Cao Xueqin and the other 40 are written by a close friend.

In the poems “The Wanderer” and “The Dream of the Rood,” anonymous authors give way to the idea that an Almighty God will solve every problem a person has by doing two things: 1) drawing upon the memories of a warrior who has lost everything near and dear to him due to war, and 2) entering the dream of a man who has been exiled and isolated. Each piece takes its reader through the trials and tribulations that one may not relate to in this era, yet the reader is still there alongside the character wanting them to find peace with their world and themselves. Initially, it is believed that the characters will overcome their hardships and achieve the happiness they seek. However, as the reader delves deeper into the character’s story, there is an overwhelming sense of incompleteness. What actually happens at the end of each piece is not written in stone - telling us the story is not whole - nor has a conclusion been reached. The intrapersonal thoughts being shared with the reader reveal the obstacles that keep an overall wholeness from occurring.