• For Monday:
Terms to know:
Symbolism
Allegory
Irony
Existentialism
Romanticism
Be able to identify rhetorical devices used in lines of poetry or prose
such as those listed on the top of the wall.
Elements of a short story, e.g. plot, setting, theme, conflict,
characterization, symbolism, POV
For Monday (Continued)
Texts to review:
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
The Metamorphosis
“A&P”
“Araby”
Slides on www.marianhs.org
Situational Irony
Irony involving a situation in which actions have an
effect that is opposite from what was intended, so
that the outcome is contrary to what was expected.
Existentialism and The Metamorphosis
A philosophical attitude associated especially with
Heidegger, Jaspers, Marcel, and Sartre, and opposed
to rationalism and empiricism, that stresses the
individual's unique position as a self-determining
agent responsible for the authenticity of his or her
choices.
Archetype
The original pattern or model from which all things of
the same kind are copied or on which they are based;
a model or first form; prototype.
“The Simpsons already did it.”
5 Elements of Short Stories
Character
Setting
Point of View
Plot
Theme
What is a symbol?
A symbol is something that stands for, or
represents, something else.
They are learned associations, arising
mainly out of cultural traditions.
Symbols in literature…
• Are shaped by our own associations as well as the
author’s
•Conventional symbols: those widely recognized by society
•Contextual symbols: those whose meaning are determined
mainly by the author
The lion is
a symbol
of bravery,
strength,
and
power.
Moby-Dick, the white whale, is
usually interpreted as a symbol of
evil, God, or an indifferent
universe. (www.pbs.org)
Symbols in literature…
• Are related to the culture they come from. The ones
here come mainly from a western/Eurocentric tradition
• Can be recognized by the frequency an object or
character is mentioned in a piece of literature--if it is
mentioned often, it is probably important. Or, look at
how much detail is used in describing an object. (“How to
Understand Symbolism in Literature”, www.ehow.com)
Symbols in literature…
• Can stand for more than one thing
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: nothing clearly represents one particular
thing--objects are generally contained in their individual episode. The garden
may symbolize the Garden of Eden, an idyllic space of beauty and innocence
that Alice is not permitted to access. Also, the garden may represent the
experience of desire, in that Alice focuses her energy and emotion on trying
to attain it. The two symbolic meanings work together to underscore Alice's
desire to hold onto her feelings of childlike innocence that she must relinquish
as she matures.
Motifs & Allegories
• Motif: recurring thematic symbols, images, ideas or
items. These point in the direction of the overall theme
• Allegory: a story whose characters, setting, events, etc.
are meant to represent general truths about human
existence. The entire story is a collection of symbols