The symbolic distinguishes literature
from the mere written word. When a fish is more than the animal, a tree more
than the plant, a food more than its flavor or substance, then the symbolic is
at play and the book becomes more than the sum of its words. It is at this
higher and deeper plane of literary purport that higher and deeper thoughts can
be expressed and explored. If a word is constricted to its physical
manifestation, so too is the extent of its use; but when words are cloaked in
the mystery of symbolism, all the subtlety and agility of the mind manifests
itself in interpretations and meanings--interpretations which often even
transcend the author’s intent.
If it is true
that it is primarily the symbolic which elevates a piece of work to a new depth
and breadth, then “the kind of reading” done by literary scholars must be
informed regarding common symbolic meanings and allusions. A student seeking to
better understand a literary work would need to internalize common symbolic
associations. That student would also need to be willing to extrapolate and
experiment with interpretation, connecting ideas and thoughts in a book to the
concrete world, to religious themes, to themes of human nature, and to the time
and culture from which the text proceeds. The symbolic plane of literary
experience requires that we as readers approach a text with activism—a
willingness to connect the author’s dots and step through the looking glass.
More so, however, it requires that we as readers do not constrict the contents
of a book and the ideas within that book to their dead piece of paper, but
rather test and apply any and all words we read and hear with our own prior
knowledge, with past experiences, and with present analysis of the world around
us. Symbols can only be understood if there is a broader understanding of life
for them to jive with.
Josh, first of all, I would like to compliment your diction and vocabulary. You were able to mesh those words together in a way that was understandable and beautiful, and I really appreciate that. And now on to the topic of your post. I agree with your idea that we as readers need to be willing to step outside of our comfort zones in order to fully grasp what an author means with his or her messages. For example, in order to read a book like Fahrenheit 451, we as readers need to understand that character names and symbols have alternative meanings, most of which have a religious or spiritual meaning. As difficult as that may be, it is an absolute necessity, especially when reading some of the classic novels of American literature.
ReplyDeleteJosh, I like how in-depth your analysis of symbols and their meanings are within literature. I have always tried to find a deeper meaning in everything, whether it be there or not. As you said, if the reader is trying to find a deeper meaning, they must first become associated with common symbols to be able to identify what the author is implying, whether it be intentional or not. Out of everything in this post, I loved that you noted the difference between a normal word from a word with symbolic meaning. I have noticed the difference before yet have never been able to put my finger on it until you pointed it out.
ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteI really like how well you said this. I think about this all the time but have trouble translating my thoughts into words.
I completely agree with what you said. My father likes to read a lot of books, but he only enjoys them for their plot and the literal diction. He doesn't bother with all the symbolism and metaphors and so I feel as though he is missing out on many of the enjoyments of reading. He has never attempted to try to step out of his comfort zone and try to recognize symbols. He always says "a cigar is just a cigar", so he assumes that a symbol is literal before he even attempts to figure out what it is. I feel like he is really missing out on a lot of meaning and messages which really add to the richness of a great piece of literature.