Chapter 6—Symbol and Irony
Perrine’s Structure, Sound and Sense
Coach Adams
Fall 2006
Chapter 6
• What is a writer’s goal?
• To say as much as possible as
briefly as possible; to do this,
they must master two tasks
• 1. never waste space
• 2. never waste a word
Chapter 6
• Why do they use the words
they do? Words that describe
the story and characters and
reveal insight simultaneously
are the words they are after
• Two tools they use: symbol
and irony
symbol
• Has a literal meaning within the
story (it exists), but suggests or
represents other, external
meanings as well (it stands for___)
• Symbols can reinforce a meaning
otherwise expressed (like the
apple in “The Destructors”)
• Symbols can carry the meaning
alone (like the railroad in “Hills Like
White Elephants”)
assignment
• Identify the ways in which
symbolism contributes to the
theme of one of the books or
stories we’ve read so far…
• Get a grading rubric before
you leave.
4 hints for locating symbols
1. Stories typically give some detail that
identifies the symbol as important.
Does it have some special repetition or
prominence?
2. Symbols must have a physical meaning
within the story?. Does it literally exist?
4 hints for locating symbols
3. Symbols suggest a different
interpretation than the literal one.
a. “A symbol of” should never be
synonymous with “is” or “is an example
of”
4. A symbol can have multiple meanings
or be interpreted with shades of
difference; this is not to say that
interpretation can be wide open.
irony
• Defined: an incongruity or
discrepancy between
expectation and reality. In
your language: getting
something other than what you
expected.
Three types of irony
• Verbal—a difference between
what is said and what is
meant. (The townsman in
“The Child by Tiger” who tells
the story of “his own heroic
accomplishments.”)
Three types of irony
• Dramatic—a difference
between what a character
says and a reader (or
audience) knows.
• All of “Miss Brill” is rife with
dramatic irony, because the
audience, unlike Miss Brill,
sees her misery.
Three types of irony
• Situational irony—a difference
between
a. Appearance and reality
b. Expectation and fulfillment
“Defender of the Faith”—Marx
defends his faith by punishing a
Jewish soldier…not what we’d
expect
Remember the author’s
motivation
• Symbolism and irony allow
authors to suggest and
express meaning without
explicitly stating it. They make
literature sort of like a little
puzzle for us to discover the
answer to.
The stories:
• Select one of the following:
• “The Guest,” p. 202
– Questions 1, 3-7, 9
• “Greenleaf,” p. 212
– Questions 2-4, 6-9
• The following is required:
• Flannery O’Connor, “Good Country People”
– http://www.geocities.com/cyber_explorer99/oco
nnorgoodcountry.html
– Essay: Analyze the use of symbolism and / or
irony as a means of expressing the story’s
theme.