What Does The Pearl Symbolize In A Separate Peace

Symbolism in literature is using an object to portray a different, deeper meaning in a story. Symbols represent ideas or qualities that the author has maneuvered into his or her story that has meaning. There can be multiple symbols in a story or just one. It is up to the reader to interpret the meaning of the symbols and their significance to the story. While reading a story, symbols may not become clear until the very end, once the climax is over, and the falling action is covered. In William Faulkner’s, “A Rose for Emily,” there are multiple examples of symbolism that occur throughout the story.

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.

He shows that the pearl is corruptive by showing what it could do to a family. The pearl is betrayed as evil. Not only did it break a family apart but also it caused for death to arise. The pearl brought evil when bringing burglars, hoax, and fake people. The priest and the Doc.

In the book ‘How to read literature like a professor’ the author uses symbolism throughout the book. Foster uses this technique so he can use objects, and short stories to help the readers understand what is really going on without being blunt about it. Symbolism is using an object or word to represent an idea. This style of writing challenges the reader to use their imagination to really grasp what is really going on.

Many authors feel that Pearl could be a symbol for many objects as Barbara Garlitz writes, “Soon after The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850 Pearl was called both ‘an imbodied angel from the skies’ and ‘a void little demon,’ and time produced no unanimity of opinion. In the past hundred years she has been variously described as ‘most artificial and unchildlike,’ and as possessing ‘ the natural bloom… of childhood,’ as a creature ‘of moral indifference, as one not born into the moral order,’ and as an illustration of ‘that law which visits the sins of the fathers upon the children.’ For some critics she performs the function of ‘a symbolized conscience,’ but for others she is simply ‘a darksome fairy’ or ‘ the one touch of color in a sombre picture.’” (Garlitz 689). Pearl is seen in many different ways.

Symbolism is a common approach used in writing, but it is not to be taken for its exact connotation. In literature, the symbol can be a person, item, circumstance, or action that has a more profound significance in the writing. In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne there are four main symbols that the reader would notice. The symbols include, the colors red and black, the meteor, Pearl, and the scarlet letter itself. Hawthorne uses symbolism in the novel to communicate his message.

Throughout the book, there are many different possible meanings for the title,“A Separate Peace.” One example includes references to Finny and Gene’s relationship, they seem to both have personal peace, but this peace seems to be separate. Another possible meaning of the title is the relation to the war term, when one nation forms an alliance with another but refuses to fight for that other country, forming a separate peace. Also, another relation with war is how the story was set during world war II but Finny and Gene were not affected very much, allowing them to be at peace. A Separate Peace is an appropriate title and suits the story well.

Authors use symbolism as a way to express detail. To put that into a definition it means: the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Symbolism can be seen on screen in movies or tv and off screen as in books. For an example in the story “The Sound of Thunder”, a butterfly shows how delicate life is. Once it dies everything is thrown off balance and the world is never the same.

Alfred Whitehead, an English mathematician and philosopher, once said, “Symbolism is no mere idle fancy or corrupt degeneration: it is inherent in the very texture of human life.” In almost every story, there is some form of symbolism being used. Sometimes it is used in the characters, the setting, certain objects, the weather patterns, etc. Not only does symbolism have a great effect on the story itself, but it affects how the story is perceived. “Young Goodman Brown”, “The Minister’s Black Veil”, and “The Birthmark” are all full of many forms of symbolism. The themes of these stories are shown through the symbolism of the characters, their traits, and the objects.

Symbolism is an effective method authors can use to portray a deeper meaning beyond the surface of a story’s plotline. Different characters, settings, and objects can serve as a symbol that represents a bigger picture. Ralph Ellison does a great job using symbolism throughout the story “Battle Royal”. Ellison wrote “Battle Royal” in 1947 to show the different obstacles African Americans had to endure during this time period. Oppression and slavery were widespread during this time. Throughout the story the reader can identify situations that can be analyzed beyond the surface.

Symbolism is a literary technique that is used to clarify the author's intent. Sometimes it is used to great effect, while other times it only seems to muddle the meaning of a passage. In "Young Goodman Brown," Nathaniel Hawthorne uses objects and people as symbols to allegorically reveal his message to the reader.

Symbolism in literature is used to give an entirely different meaning which is more significant and much deeper to a story using objects representing other objects and giving them a sense that is different from their literal meaning. The meaning of the symbols used to depend on the reader, and there is no universal meaning for symbols used because their purpose is inherent in the symbol itself. In both stories, the authors use symbols to give different meanings to their story.

Symbolism is a very important aspect of writing good literature. Symbolism can han have a major impact on a piece of literature, it can make a bad writing really interesting or it can make a good writing have a totally different meaning. Most readers miss the symbols the first time reading through the work and they don't get it until someone teaches them or if they read it again, sometimes the symbols are hard to detect in the story or poem, and other times they can be super easy to find such as a giant red A on your chest. In 1984 the many Symbol was pretty easy to figure out and a had a big meaning for part of the book which was really fascinating once you figured it out. Overall symbolism is very important and hopefully everyone who reads this will realize that.

There are very few things that seperate Pearl from the letter from each other except of course the obvious fact that one is simply an object, and one is living. At one point the narrator describes Pearl as "the scarlet letter endowed with life." this quote is very significant when the reader conciders this unique relationship.

     Lastly, the Pearl of the World is hard to grasp for because it is significantly realistic to be true, yet it is as far idealistic as possible. Everyone wanted the same thing, but they knew they all would not be able to have it. The material pearl reveals the irony of good fortune in that what should have been the profession of a lifetime, turns out to be a disaster, producing a great