ENG 273
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Art of Fiction
Prof. Gallichio
What Do We Mean When We Talk About Symbolism?
In everyday life we easily distinguish between a literal meaning, where a word means just what it says, and another, more symbolic meaning , where some word or object stands for something else. Depending on context, a rainy day could suggest sadness and gloom OR suggest a cleansing of some kind; a washing away.
Writers are conscious of a human tendency to regard natural phenomena as more than what their surface, literal meanings seem to state. Consequently, when a writer spends some of the precious space of a tightly written story on the weather, readers should be alert to the possibilities of its symbolic significance. In a story where every word counts
(as we have learned through our exercises in close reading), a reader can suspect that the weather, the tapering of one ’s jeans, an odor, or a Maserati, is performing multiple duties.
Questions We Can Ask When We Suspect Symbolism?
Anything! That is the beauty of locating symbolism. The important thing to remember is that evidence through the contextual clues of the story is necessary in order to make a compelling argument on whether or not an object, person, place, or event possesses symbolic meaning. Symbolic significance is subject to interpretation and, often times can be a source of interesting disagreements. A symbol is not a code or a simple kind of one-to-one correspondence between the literal and symbolic meaning.
Sleep is often related to death. Dreams are linked to the future or fate.
Seasons often represent ages: spring--youth, summer--prime of life, autumn--middle age, winter--old age or death.
Water is sometimes linked to the idea of birth or purification.
Colors are often linked to emotions: red--anger, blue--happiness, green —jealousy.
Snakes and guns are often phallic.
Caves and underwater images often womb-like.
The cycle of natural growth --birth, degeneration, death--often suggests the cycle of love. For example, a poem may trace a rose from bud to bloom to withered vine.
Animals have various associations: horse--phallic sexuality; doves, lambs, sleeping animals-peace; felines, birds of prey--dissension, war, danger; snakes, serpents--evil, phallic sexuality, fall from virtue, magic.
Forests are often places of testing or challenge.
Light --as the sun, the moon, stars, candles--often symbolizes good, hope, freedom.
Darkness is associated with evil, magic or the unknown.
The Moon has several associations. It is sometimes a feminine symbol, sometimes associated with madness, sometimes with resurrection.
Note: While these are common symbols used by authors, this is by no means an exhaustive list.
Not every story with symbolism will employ one of the symbols listed above.
Symbolism in Alice Walker ’s “Everyday Use”

Just as the Symbolism handout mentions, authors are often performing double-duty with their word choice. There are three characters within Alice Walker ’s short story, all of whom possess a differing perspective on the happenings within the story. Not only are we discussing the literal meaning of items within “Everyday Use” but we are also considering the symbolic meaning of each item for each character.
Below, there is a list of seemingly arbitrary items, states of being, wedged within specific passages from “Everyday Use”. In groups of no more than four , discuss the symbolic meaning of each item based on the perspective of Mama, Maggie, and Wangero (Dee).
Important Point to Consider : Since the short story is written from Mama ’s perspective, defining the symbolic meaning for Maggie and Wangero (Dee) will take some imagination and critical thought.
Example: “She put on some sunglasses that hid everything above the tip of her nose and her chin.
Maggie smiled; maybe at the sunglasses .
”
What do these sunglasses symbolize for Mama? What could the represent for Wangero (Dee)?
What could they represent for Maggie?
Like always, for each response that you give, cite textual evidence and your reason for giving the item its symbolic meaning.
1.
“I will wait for her in the yard that Maggie and I made so clean and wavy yesterday afternoon.
”
2.
“ Cows are soothing and slow and don ’t bother you, unless you try to milk them the wrong way ”
3.
“Dee next. A dress down to the ground, in this hot weather. A dress so loud it hurts my eyes.
”
4.
“Out she peeks next with a Polaroid . She stoops down quickly and lines up picture after picture of me sitting there in from of the house with Maggie cowering behind me.
”
5.
“‘Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts !
” she said. “She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.
”
Things to Consider
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In an interesting twist, I am not asking for your interpretation of a symbol BUT rather your interpretation of a character ’s interpretation. You have the entire text at your disposal.
Make use of Walker ’s language to convince the rest of us.
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If you are stuck, ask yourself what a character ’s motives are and question how that item’s literal meaning could be hindering, offensive, or supportive.
Finally!
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When you are done, discuss with your group on which character ’s symbolic meaning you agree with and be prepared to share.