• In your notes, make a list of everything
that you think an apple in a story or
dream might symbolize (represent).
In your notes, respond to the following question:
• What does the apple symbolize in “The Apples of
Love” and “The Apple of Discord?” Have you
have seen the apple symbol before in other stories
or in dreams?
Apple Symbolism
• The Story: Eris, the goddess of Discord, was upset that she had
not been invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis and decided
to retaliate. She tossed a golden apple into the reception with the
inscription “for the fairest.” Hera, Athena and Aphrodite saw
themselves as the fairest and tried to claim it. Paris of Troy was
selected to pick the recipient of the golden apple. He chose
Aphrodite which indirectly cause the Trojan War.
Apple
Representation: In Greek myth, apples became the symbol of
Aphrodite the goddess of love. In Greek culture throwing an
apple at someone meant a declaration of love. If you caught the
apple, it was seen as an acceptance of the love thrown your way,
just as Atalanta accepted Melanion’s love when he threw apples
her way.
Apples in Greek Mythology
• Heracles as part of the twelve labors was required to
travel to the Garden of Hesperides and pick golden
apples off of the Tree of Life which he was able to do
successfully with the help of Atlas.
Apples in Greek Mythology
• According to Genesis, God gave Adam and Eve a perfect
life in the Garden of Eden. They were cast out of the
Garden of Eden for partaking in the forbidden fruit
(believed to be an apple) that hung on the Tree of
Knowledge. They gave up their immortality, and are
considered to be the origin of sin.
Apple
representation: From the story of Adam and Eve apples
become symbolic for knowledge, temptation and the root of
all sin.
Biblical Apples
• Adam Apple: It refers to the bulge in the neck of a male. It
was thought the bulge was caused by a piece of apple, the
forbidden fruit, getting lodged in Adam's throat.
• Apple of my eye: A term of endearment for a treasure
person.
• As American as apple pie: In the 19th and 20th century it
became the symbol for American prosperity and values.
APPLE LANGUAGE
• The introduction of Desperate Housewives depicts the
female cast bearing apples in their hands. This perhaps
echoes Aphrodite's seductive powers and Eve's fall from
Eden. The sentiment is reinforced by Gabrielle's infidelity
to Carlos with John the gardener (Season One), or Brie's
battle with the bottle.
Apples in Television
The logo for Apple (an apple with a “byte”
taken out of it) symbolizes knowledge and
temptation. Knowledge because Apple is seen
as innovative and striving for the next big thing,
and temptation because once you see their
products you can't help but want one!
Business Apple
• There is a popular story that Sir Isaac Newton was
sitting under an apple tree, an apple fell on his head,
and he suddenly thought of the Universal Law of
Gravitation. As in all such legends, this is almost
certainly not true in its details, but the story contains
elements of what actually happened.
Legendary Apple
Apple in the Classroom
• Your homework: Write a story (a myth
or modern tale) involving an apple. The
apple MUST symbolize something in the
story (love, knowledge, temptation, etc.).
*Minimum length requirement is 1 - 2
pages/ 12 font/ double-spaced.