The adage goes ?Say what you mean and mean what you say,? however, symbolism plays an important role in literature. In Raymond Carver?s ?Popular Mechanics? details are used to symbolize the lives of the characters and the changes in their lives during and after the break up between the man and woman. Carver uses four details as symbols in the story: the dark and dreary details of the weather, the woman?s picking up the picture, the knocking down of the flower pot, and the pulling on the baby.
The dark and dreary details of the weather both inside and out: ?Early that day the weather turned? and ?Cars slushed by on the street outside, where it was getting dark. But it was getting dark on the inside, too? (238), represent the relationship between the man and the woman. The weather turning is symbolic of the change in their relationship from good to bad. The statement, ?it was getting dark on the inside, too? (238), is representative of the feelings of the couple, which are changing from those of happiness and enjoyment to those of hatred and anger.
While the weather symbolizes the relationship between the man and the woman, the woman?s picking up the picture of the baby is also very symbolic. In the story, the picture was on the bed, put there by the man. When the woman entered the bedroom, ?She noticed the baby?s picture on the bed and picked it up,? then ?stared at him (the man) before turning and going back to the living room? (239). He responds, ?Bring that back,? but she said, ?Just get your things and get out? (239). Her actions represent her strong desire to keep the baby. Her unwillingness to give the man the picture of the baby shows that she doesn?t want him to have custody of the baby as well as any contact with the baby.
While the couple were fighting, ?they knocked down a flowerpot? (239). This breaking of the flower pot is very symbolic. The most obvious symbolism is the breaking of the baby. This isn?t necessarily the physical breaking of the baby, but also the effects that the break up of the family had on the child. These effects are the mental and emotional breaking the baby suffers. The knocking down of the flowerpot also symbolizes the falling down and breaking up of the family.
During the scuffle, ?She caught the baby around the wrist and leaned back…..He felt the baby slipping out of his hands and he pulled back very hard? (239). This pulling on the child symbolizes the pulling apart of the family, as well as the physical breaking of the baby. The relentless pulling on the baby shows the unwillingness of both the man and the woman the give in the relationship.
Even though Carver does not come right out and say it, the lives of the man, woman, and child were changed dramatically. Carver instead uses details as symbols to represent the effects of the situation on the man, woman, and child?s lives.
Bibliography
Work Cited
Carver, Raymond. ?Popular Mechanics.? The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. 5th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin?s, 2000. 238-239
Другие работы по теме:
How Does The Moon Control The Sea
Essay, Research Paper Symbolism is one of the most important techniques in literature; it helps the reader to understand and visualize what the author is trying to convey. In the novel Bless Me Ultima, by Rudolofo Anaya symbolism runs rampant, the sea and the moon represent the conflicting sources pulling apart a young boy approaching the reaching the age of reason.
Self Esteem Essay Research Paper I compare
Self Esteem Essay, Research Paper I compare my face to the most beautiful girl in the school. I compare my personality to the sweetest girl in the school. I compare my socialization rate to the most popular girl in the school.
Falsificationism Essay Research Paper There is often
Falsificationism Essay, Research Paper There is often a heated debate on whether or not a theory is scientific. This debate brings to light a problem named the demarcation problem. This problem simply asks how one distinguishes between science and non-science. This is a very important question especially in examining separation of church and state.
Critical Lense Essay Research Paper Critical Lense
Critical Lense Essay, Research Paper Critical Lense American essayist Logan Paersall Smith once said, What I like in a good author is not what he says but what he whispers. I believe this means Logan thinks a good author doesn t always say things directly but uses literary elements like characterization and symbolism to get a message across to the reader.
The Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck
(1902 – 1968) Essay, Research Paper Perhaps Steinbeck’s most popular and true-to-life novel, The Grapes of Wrath exposes the grinding hardships of the “Okie” migrants. With brief
Essay On Essay Research Paper My Sharkskin
Essay On Essay, Research Paper My Sharkskin Suit My Sharkskin Suit explained a child who wanted a sharkskin suit because they were very popular and not a lot of people had them in his neighborhood. Ed s father bought him the suit and gave it to him on Easter Sunday. Ed thought the first place he could wear it was church.
My Antonia Essay Research Paper 2
My Antonia Essay, Research Paper "My Antonia," by Willa Cather has many symbols through out the novel. Symbolism reflects her own views as a child through her life. Some of these
Fern Hill Essay Research Paper Fern HillEveryone
Fern Hill Essay, Research Paper Fern Hill Everyone wants to be a child forever. If that were possible, there would be no worry of growing old or dying. In his poem, Fern Hill , Dylan Thomas portrays the desire for infinite youth through the use of symbolism and imagery.
Saxophone Essay Research Paper The Saxophone is
Saxophone Essay, Research Paper The Saxophone is probably one of the most popular instruments to date. there are 13 different types of saxophones, but only four are regularly used. This instrument has a sound all of
Chrysanthemums Essay Research Paper Over the past
Chrysanthemums Essay, Research Paper Over the past few months in class we have learned about many aspects of literature. Some examples of them are characterization, setting, style, tone, allegory, theme, and symbolism. I chose to write this essay about the symbolism aspect that is featured in so many great works of literature.
Symbolism The Chrysanthemums Essay Research Paper Symbolism
Symbolism- The Chrysanthemums Essay, Research Paper Symbolism- “The Chrysanthemums John Steinbecks’ “The Chrysanthemums” is a story that utilizes symbolism on many levels. Most of all, I believe in the character of Elisa Adams. Elisa and her garden seem to be considered one. Because of all of her hard labor and love the Chrysanthemums flourish.
English 101 Essay Research Paper In comparing
English 101 Essay, Research Paper In comparing and contrasting the stories ?Worn Path? and ?Young GoodMann Brown?. Several things come to mind . We see that both authors use a lot of symbolism
Glass Menagerie 2
Glass Menagerie – Symbolism Of The Unicorn Essay, Research Paper The symbolism of the unicorn has two very different meanings. One of the symbols is happiness and love. The other one symbols sadness and hatred. You first come into contact with the unicorn when Jim sees it. This is where the first symbolism comes into place.
Symbolism In Camus
’ The Plague Essay, Research Paper For the first essay for Integrative Studies 300 I would like to write on the Camus work, The Plague. Since Albert Camus has a philosophical view unlike that of many
Reality Tv Essay Research Paper Public Speaking
Reality Tv Essay, Research Paper Public Speaking Speech Topic: Why is reality television popular? Reality television is so popular because their aren’t any good actors or actresses in this world any more, therefore, people have now been creating shows that deal with ordinary people; we are far more entertaining than all those actors and actresses.
Flight Essay Research Paper Flight by John
Flight Essay, Research Paper Flight by John Steinbeck In his classic short story, “Flight,” John Steinbeck uses many examples of symbolism to foreshadow the conclusion. Symbolism can be anything, a person, place or thing, used to portray something beyond itself. It is used to represent or foreshadow the ending of the story.
All About Style Essay Research Paper Regina
All About Style Essay, Research Paper Regina Kerbs October 20, 1999 M/W 8:30 – 9:50 All About Style Every writer illustrates a certain style in his/her work. Kate Chopin uses the same style in her short stories “The Story of an Hour” and “Ripe Figs.” This style includes her use of diction, imagery, and symbolism.
Symbolism In Hamlet Essay Research Paper Symbolism
Symbolism In Hamlet Essay, Research Paper Symbolism in Hamlet Though not much has been written on symbolism in Shakespeare?s Hamlet, there is some there. The first symbol is found in the very first scene of the play. The changing of the guards can be a symbol of the new King in Denmark. Just as the guards are changing, so is the royal throne.
Symbolism Joy Luck Essay Research Paper Symbolism
Symbolism Joy Luck Essay, Research Paper Symbolism of The Joy Luck Club and The Zoo Story There are numerous conditions in human life that mold people into who they presently are. A person’s identity and way of thinking are influenced greatly due to their surroundings, and relationships they are involved in.
The Great Gatsby Light Symbolism Essay Research
Paper The Great Gatsby Symbolism Essay The Hidden Story in Green and White Color symbolism is really popular in novels written during the 1920’s. One such example is Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. There is much color symbolism in this novel, but there are two main colors that stand out more than the others.
Dickens Biography Essay Research Paper In the
Dickens Biography Essay, Research Paper In the Charles Dickens novel, A Tale of Two Cities, symbolism in used to portray the themes though out the book. Through his characters and their actions as well as their
The Use Of Symbolism In Their Eyes
Were Watching God Essay, Research Paper How symbolism is used in Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston uses symbolism to enhance characterization in her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and symbolism is portrayed through the heroine of the novel, Janie Crawford. Three uses of symbolism are through Janie s hair, the store porch, and the pear tree.
Hawthorne And Symbolism Essay Research Paper Hawthorne
Hawthorne And Symbolism Essay, Research Paper Hawthorne and Symbolism Symbolism is a key in all or most writings. Symbolism is what the reader needs in order to use his imagination. In “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, through different symbolism, Hawthorne writes about a man who in his coming of age.
Symbolism Essay Research Paper I have
Symbolism Essay, Research Paper : I have never understood the purpose of digging about for symbolism in and author’s work, and comparing the symbolism in 2
Much Symbolism Essay Research Paper Nature
Much Symbolism Essay, Research Paper Nature’s Symbolism Much symbolism is used in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. The nature on the island is used as the primary source of symbolism. There are three main uses of nature’s symbolism: a pink conch shell, a pig’s head, and fire. Nature is a symbol that parallels to the real world.
Symbolism Essay Research Paper In the novel
Symbolism Essay, Research Paper In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, symbolism is the key literary device. Symbolism is when one thing stands for another. It is a sin to kill a mockingbird. This is because mockingbirds do not harm anything, they just sing to you. The mockingbird symbolized both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.
Scarletletter Symbolism Essay Research Paper The Scarlet
Scarletletter Symbolism Essay, Research Paper The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne uses many things for symbolism and in my opinion the most symbolic were the scaffold scenes. There are a total of three scaffold scenes and each has its own purpose and meaning. Without the scaffold scenes this book would basically leave you clueless to what was really going on because the scaffold scenes really tell you what is going on and why.
A Farewell To Arms Essay Research Paper 2
A Farewell To Arms- Essay, Research Paper A Farewell to Arms- The book A Farewell to Arms, written by Ernest Hemingway, is a classic about the love story of a nurse and a war ridden soldier. The story
Lord Of Fliez Essay Research Paper The
Lord Of Fliez Essay, Research Paper The Red Dress and The Day of The Butterfly are two very interesting stories, written by an exceptional Canadian author, Alice Munro. Both of these stories are well written and can be associated with what goes on in today s society. The principal characters, human relationships, and the importance of symbolism exist, in both of these stories, strongly.
Cannery Row Essay Research Paper In his
Cannery Row Essay, Research Paper In his book Cannery Row, John Steinbeck characterizes different qualities of life, and uses symbolism to express those qualities. Cannery Row is an emphasis on the importance of friendship, and how the hardships of life can be healthy in some ways.
Northwest Settlement Essay Research Paper Northwest Settlement
Northwest Settlement Essay, Research Paper Northwest Settlement Reached Northwest Airlines and its mechanics agreed to a tentative contract settlement, potentially ending more than four years of talks that ultimately led to White House intervention.
