The Significance of Symbols in Literary Works by Jackson and Behr - Literature Essay Samples

A symbol in the story is like a souvenir from a travel destination. It holds meaning beyond what is actually being seen. Every author has their own deft way to instill thematic meaning into a seemingly inanimate object, which then grows to become a powerful symbol. In horrific stories about reality such as The Lottery, Jackson uses the black box as a strong representation of tradition, whereas in books inspired by sociocultural situations such as The Smell of Apples, Behr successfully uses apples and whales to portray child-like innocence. The more we start comparing and contrasting these works to one another, the more interesting and real the conclusions we derive become. To begin, Jacksons Box symbolizes the fear of change. We read that the box is so broken and worn out that it had to be reconstructed into a newer one by its old parts. Still, the villagers have been using it since decades even though its opening rituals have been forgotten due to the increase in population with every passing generation. This fact clearly states that the most prominent elements of the past, according to the villagers, must be preserved as much as possible despite of the dark, ugly and defective aspects. Evidently, the Box plays quite a significant role in maintaining the traditions of the village. Similarly, Behr uses apples as a symbolic means to remember the heroic past. The apples were brought to South Africa by the Afrikaaners hundreds of years ago when they invaded the country into pieces in order to rebuild it, with their own systems and set of rules for everyone to blindly obey. Over the years, it became a typical symbol of their accomplishments and dominance over the native land. However, the the same apples, which present-day Afrikaaners are so proud of, get a stain of Afrikaaner brutality when Johan Erasmus’ semen is transferred onto their skin via Frikkie. As one of the most militarily important people in the government, Johan serves as a reflection of white supremacist thought prevailing within the Afrikaaner community as a whole. By raping an innocent child, he tarnishes that heroic historical image for the readers. Thus, apples illustrate how contaminated Afrikaaners are, and were when they set foot on South Africa to victimize the innocent citizens. Unlike the apples, the black box is only showcased to the public for two hours every year. During these hours, all villagers try their best to keep their distance from it because they are- like normal humans- afraid of death. This clearly foreshadows the future conflict. Yet, certain aged villagers like Mr. Summers confidently take the responsibility of keeping the special box with them for the rest of the year. It is soon realized that the old men play the biggest role in controlling and implementing such a tradition. They take advantage of the fact that this tradition leaves most villagers unscathed, In order to make it last. This points to the power of tradition as it is perpetuated by those in charge. In contrast to how the box is cherished by the powerful, the whales in the smell of apples characterizes weak victims dwelling fearfully in Cape Town’s apartheid era. The whales are being caught and killed in massive numbers annually for no fair reason. This is analogous to the conflict regarding an end to social righteousness. For instance, the discrimination against the the Coloreds by the whites. Furthermore, it emphasizes the growth of unjust power in the hands of cruel people. Nevertheless, Behr introduces a Christian symbol of knowledge and maturity, that juxtaposes this concept of innocence, in the previously-discussed apples. Frikkie examines them and becomes curious about their smell. He unknowingly uses a euphemism for Johan’s inhumanity: rotten apples. Although he never discloses the abuse to Marnus, Marnus ultimately figures out where the smell originated from; and this origin becomes painfully clear to the reader himself. Therefore, it is the apples that symbolize realization and coming-of-age of both the readers and the characters by the end of the novel. In conclusion, Jackson cleverly chooses her box to evince the the invariable sense of power and fear throughout her short story whilst Behr develops his symbols to characterize tarnished naivety. However, both taint their symbols to criticize the influence of tradition. The indirect messages conveyed by both is unfortunately very relevant and relatable, not only to the present world but also to international relations, childhood and human nature.

The Lewis And Clark Expedition - 1433 Words

The Lewis and Clark expedition was a truth that was to become the crowning accomplishment in the lifetime of the brilliant thinker, inventor, and founding father, Thomas Jefferson . It has become a profounding turning point throughout America’s history. Investigating the recently obtained Louisiana Territory, which nearly doubled the size of the country, arranged Jefferson the opportunity to widen the boundaries of the United States to include both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The threat of the unknown lay ahead for Lewis and Clark’s team. The explorers had no idea what they would e be confronted with on their journey, but still they advanced into the unknown area that could officially be called part of America. Thanks to the addition of Lewis, Clark, their essential guide Sacajawea, and the many men that traveled with them America was able to expose land as well as providing important information about the topography, the biological studies, the ecology, and the st udies of the American Indian as they discovered the mysteries of the Louisiana Purchase. Although it was a treacherous and costly journey, the Lewis and Clark expedition was the most important exploration in American history. In the beginning explorations of North America, European adventurers headed into the interior of the continent, within various decades of the first coastal expeditions of this â€Å"New World†. Adventurers ,or even daredevil is the fitting word here, for more tentative men would haveShow MoreRelatedThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1333 Words   |  6 PagesMeriwether Lewis. Lewis turned for assistance and invited the U.S soldier and experienced outdoorsman, William Clark, to share command of this legendary expedition. The explorers marched to the unexpected challenges and experiences that laid within the unfamiliar land. Their contributions to the extraordinary expedition provided valuable information regarding the topography and ecology the Louisiana territory had to offer. Appointed for the Position The Lewis and Clark Expedition coveredRead MoreLewis and Clark Expedition1018 Words   |  4 PagesJames Jang William and Meriwether, better known as Lewis and Clark, were hired by the U.S. president Thomas Jefferson to explore the newly bought Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase was bought from France in 1803. Lewis and Clark started their expedition in 1804 near St. Louis. The group of explorers called themselves the corps of discovery. In the first winter they were helped by a Shoshone Indian named Sacagawea. Their journey was full of trouble and challenges but in the end led to a greatRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1415 Words   |  6 PagesCaptain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark put their lives on the line only to return with information regarding the Pacific Northwest of the United States territory. Their reasons behind this journey, being to expand the United States to the West, involved the entire nation but debatably, their accomplishments and the reaction of others became a major part of today’s history. The foremost reason behind the Lewis and Clark expedition was all based on Thomas Jefferson’s, president at the time, interestRead MoreThe Expedition Of Lewis And Clark1270 Words   |  6 PagesWithout the expedition of Lewis and Clark, the American history that people know would be completely different changing the accomplishments in history. The background and experience Lewis and Clark already developed prior to the expedition would be very beneficial and help make the journey easier. The development of the mission played a key part in the expedition itself because if the development did not play out exactly how Jefferson planned, then the expedition may not have been as successful.Read MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1405 Words   |  6 Pages Sacajawea is a renowned Native American woman who played a significant role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. As stated by Brown, â€Å"She turned to dreaming of the future, of what it might hold for Pomp (her son), as she had dreamed of what might lie ahead for her when she had learned she was to be going on the expedition. But it was no dream that she had become a part of history† (110). Although most of her history is unclear, one thing is definite - without the help of Sacajawea, the United StatesRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1424 Words   |  6 Pages On May 14, 1804 in the eastern city of Saint Louis, William Clark and Merry-weather Lewis set of on the westward adventure that would change America as we know it today. Their journey began on the Mississippi River, those rapids would propel Lewis and Clark into the Corps of Discovery. Across the vast land that these men would soon travel lived the many native-american tribes. The Native people hunted freely across their western lands, lived their life as one with the ground they so carefullyRead MoreThe Expedition of Lewis and Clark581 Words   |  2 PagesThis report is on Lewis and Clarks adventure through the United States. On May 14,1803 William Clark and nearly four dozen other men met up with Meriwether Lewis on May 20. The Lewis and Clark Expeditio,n The Corps of Discovery began making its way up the †¢. \\?\ \? Missouri on a †¢ss-toot-long ship and two smaller boats. As they traveled,Clark spent most of his time on the ship journaling the course and making maps. Lewis wa s often on the shore, studying the rock formations, soil,animalsRead MoreThe Expedition Of Lewis And Clark1522 Words   |  7 PagesMany people in America know of the historical expedition of Lewis and Clark, but only a few know of the expedition to California led by Jedediah Smith. This expedition took place after Thomas Jefferson signed the papers to acquire a huge region in the west through the Louisiana Purchase. After this expansion many people were eager to explore the west and among those was Jedediah Smith. From his childhood, Smith dreamed one day of exploring the unknown west part of the United States. He once saidRead MoreLewis And Clark Expedition : The Great Expedition2140 Words   |  9 Pages Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark expedition was amongst one of the first major American expeditions. This expedition helped the United States advance in science, land as well as gaining many valuable resources. The Lewis and Clark expedition is also an amazing American story. Lewis and Clark went through extraordinary situations to expedite Americas growth and science. They accomplished this expedition with strenuous encounters with the NativeRead MoreLewis and Clark Expedition Essay926 Words   |  4 PagesThis paper will explain why Lewis and Clark are two of the greatest explorers in American history. Some of the distinguishing factors of these explorers and the three main points in this paper are their exploration of the uncharted west by way of the Missouri river, the many discoveries made along the way, and the effect they had on the westward expansion of the United States. In January 1803, Thomas Jefferson sent a confidential message to Congress asking for approval and funding of the exploration

Argumentative Reflection - 934 Words

Argumentative Essay Reflection One of my central struggles throughout high school has been writing essays and reports for all classes not just english. I was a little worried when I signed up to take this course, since it counted as a college credit. Even though I was worried about taking this course, but I am thankful that I did. The main reason behind my decision to take this course is because I thought it would better prepare me for college. This argumentative essay was one of the hardest essay that I have written. I have never written in this style before this essay. Even though, I have never been the best writer, I have always got good grades. After receiving my first rough draft I knew this class was not going to be easy. The part†¦show more content†¦One of the areas of my writing where I was struggling in using my voice. Granite, there were parts of my essay where I successfully integrated quotes within my voice, but for the most part that was my weakest area. For e xample of one of my better integrated quotes, in my third paragraph when I say, â€Å"Today, consumers rely on social media for everything, whether it is communicating with old friends, finding new friends, shopping, researching, and staying informed with the latest news. Daniel adds that, â€Å"‘Americans who take part in political activities on social networking sites also tend to be highly active in other areas of political or civic life’† (29), which insinuates that people rely on social media more today than we have in the past†. This was one of my better examples because I further explain and analyze the quote in my voice instead of just ending the sentence after the quote. One of my poor examples is, â€Å"Many people who suffer from depression care a lot about what others think about them. That is why many of those people tend to turn to social media as an outlet to express their feelings†. I made a bold statement and did not back up what I said with my voice I just ended that sentence and moved on. Instead of moving on I should have explained it further and told them why people tend to turn to social media to express their feelings. One of the areas of my writing where I wasShow MoreRelatedLearning New Vocabulary At Parkview Middle School972 Words   |  4 Pageschromebooks) and student reflections on strategies based on a Likert scale (administered on on Google forums on Google classroom using student s chromebooks) All data was kept anonymous except for the vocabulary quiz which was counted as a grade. Method I examined my student’s preconceptions about their ability to learn new words. I taught seven content area words (argument, counter-argument, cite, inference, evidence, introduction and conclusion, these words were part of a argumentative writing unit) overRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor1334 Words   |  6 Pagespractically throughout the whole article. 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I do not believe that my account reflects my shy, well-mannered public self as I am more vocal when I comes to my Facebook profile. Looking t hrough the posts and comments I have made, it seems to be very clear that I have no worries about an employer going through my profile as I believe the decision of whether to hire or not should not depend on one’s social media account. It is a poor reflection of how one will be at work becauseRead MoreReflection Paper About Movie Review1058 Words   |  5 PagesReflection Paper The course of Academic Writing has been a long process of writing, editing, and making sure I develop enough writing skills since I will always use them no matter what career path I choose to take. Throughout this semester I wrote papers in a different genre and how each genre needs special requirements. As a writer, I must think about the appropriate language, the audience, and the content of my paper. 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The terms thesis statement, elaboration and analysis all sounded foreign to me and I struggled to grasp the basic understanding of an argumentative essay. To make it worse, I was required to write an argumentative essay immediately after learning the format to check our understanding. I had never struggled in translating my ideas on my paper

12 Main Known Types of Maritime Accidents free essay sample

Commercial Fishing Mishaps:  Even fishing for commercial purposes can lead to fatal incidents being caused. Inexperienced fishermen – sometimes even experienced ones – can fall overboard. Harsh weather conditions can also could severe damages to a commercial fishing expedition.   Accidents on Tugboats:  Tugboats  are those which help move huge ships to enter docks. They are small in nature but are powerful to ensure that the large vessels are handled safely. But sometimes because of the blockage of the visibility of tugboats by the larger vessels, maritime accidents occur. Also human error on the part of the pilot of the tugboat can also lead to unwanted and unexpected tugboat mishaps.. Accidents on Crude Oil Tankers and Cargo Ships:  The major cause of accidents on  cargo tankers  is explosions. Since the very nature of the materials these tankers transport is dangerous and highly flammable, even the most minor of  explosions  can cause enormous losses. According to statistics, one of the main reasons for oil tanker accidents occurring is because of workers’ negligence – nearly 84-88%