Symbolism

Virginia Woolf’s use of several literary devices, most especially tone and symbolism, can be seen in To The Lighthouse by dissecting important passages and analyzing how certain phrases connect with the work as a whole by enhancing the overall theme. The passage that Woolf best utilizes to convey both symbolism and tone can be found in her second chapter of the final section. Here she says, “He must have had his doubts about that table, she supposed; whether the table was a real table; whether it was worth the time he gave to it; whether he was able after all to find it.

He had had doubt, she felt, or he would have asked less of people” (155). It is interesting to note that the theme of doubt and the subjectivity of feelings as they relate to material and nonmaterial objects continues throughout the text and the previous passage highlights this along with Woolf’s literary techniques by using the table as a symbol and the tone of introspection and guessing. This work is especially important and significant as a work of literature due to these important aspects used throughout. The previous passage should be understood in context with the events and the characters that are involved.

Mr. Ramsey is a central figure of the piece, who serves as the host along with his wife of many guests to their summer house. His troubled marriage and his own doubts about his perception of how his life really is in contrast to how others may see it. His appraisal of the table, therefore, confuses one of his guests, Lily who is an aspiring artist or more specifically a painter. It is her voice in the passage that conveys the tone of the novel and that is one of subjectivity and the illusion that one person can understand another.

Mr. Ramsey, on the other hand, helps to support the symbolism in this passage by simply using the table as a type of symbol to what constitutes what is important or beautiful in life as compared to what may be seen by others as unimportant or plain. The fact that the table is a solid object is also interesting in that this implies that even solid objects can be viewed differently by different people and it is not only relationships and all in life that is not static that is subject to deep thought and contemplation.

While Lily contemplates that Mr. Ramsey has doubts about the reality of the table and believes that his doubts give way to his continual demands from others, it may be quite the opposite. Mr. Ramsey as the head of the household and the central figure and host of many dinner parties may see the table as the place where he is most comfortable and in charge of others, rather than in doubt of himself. Since the reader is only getting the point of view from Lily, Mr. Ramsey’s appraisal of the importance of or even the reality of the table is myopic.

This ties in with the theme of doubt and the subjectivity of constructed reality that changes from individual to individual that permeates the passage, the chapter, and the novel as a whole. Lily, herself as an artist, presents her views from the eyes of an aesthetic and she has been influenced by this time by the late Mrs. Ramsey. But the philosophical ponderings of Mr. Ramsey among other events have given her doubts as to her ability to create anything of real meaning in her art and in her life.

The final section of the work is the most sentimental and philosophical. By the time this passage has been uttered many deaths have occurred and the bridges that separate the remaining Ramseys and Lily are becoming more pronounced. The tone that Wolff uses has, to this point, been filled with confusion and foreshadowing and there is reason to believe that consonance might be found with the family when the remaining members, Mr. Ramsey and his son and daughter, finally do set out to see the lighthouse.

There is some hope that with all the confusion and altered realities of the main characters at the close of the novel, that maybe all of them will see this lighthouse in the same way. For the entirety of the text, Woolf presents her characters as only guessing about the feelings and thoughts of others by how they view static objects, like the table in the passage. In the beginning of the book, the subject of the table comes up in terms of philosophy when Lily asks to have explained Mr. Ramsey’s thoughts on philosophy by his son Andrew. ‘Subject and object are the nature of reality’, Andrew had said. And when she said Heavens, she had no notion what that meant. ‘Think of a kitchen table then’, he told her, ‘when you’re not there’” (23). The fact that there are many missing people from the table towards the piece’s ending is what fashions the interactions between the characters to make meaning of their existence and to weave all of this together with the subjective realities that each character has toward both the living and the deceased.

This illustrates Woolf’s theme and her intentions for her audience to understand how the table is tied into the philosophy of Mr. Ramsey, who has become worn and saddened over the years, just as the table has been worn by time. As well, this illustrates Woolf’s use of the character Lily as a person, who is able to create objects that are new and subject to a redeeming action if her art is viewed by others to be important.

As well, even if her art cannot save or redeem others in the end, she can by her own subjective reality, redeem herself in a deep and lasting fashion by discarding her doubts about herself. Certainly, Mr. Ramsey, Andrew and Cam all have doubts about the strength of their relationship and the value that is placed on visiting the lighthouse. What comes to be on this trip is not a singularity of vision between the Ramseys and Lily, but instead warmer feelings toward one another and the final realization that the only thing that can be shared is solitude. That dream of sharing, completing, of finding in solitude on the beach an answer, was then but a reflection in a mirror, and the mirror itself was but the surface glassiness which forms in quiescence when the nobler powers sleep beneath” (134). To be truly noble then, Wolff suggests that this singular vision without doubt or regret that each man or woman has is not something that can be shared, but instead it is to know that everyone is alone is their vision for perfection within themselves and others.

Everything else is subject to change or even the static objects like the table can be viewed differently, only we can know what we want and how casting off doubts imposed by others is what can essentially set us free. Woolf effectively utilizes the table as a symbol for the static in the world that can be seen as beautiful or ugly just as she uses objects like the mirror as a metaphor for solitude. The lighthouse, as well, is a beacon of light in the darkness, a darkness that is felt in loneliness.

However, it is discovered by Lily that loneliness is noble when accepting it and discarding doubts about what is underneath the subjective surface of all things. Woolf’s introspective tone, used especially by Lily and the overall them of doubt and confusion in a world filled with change, both in the passing of time and even in the moments shared with others that may have different views illustrate how not even time changes the nature of the soul of men or women.

Only  the  people  of  his  age  or  generation  oblique  in  opening  up  areas  of  human  experience  for  creative  handling  which  he  established.  The  reality  for  human  being  is  basically  very  deep  according  to  his  idea,  his  idea  also  states  that  human  being’s  reality  differs  to  outside  reality,  and  nature  is  intensely  unreasonable.

As  the  telepathist  of  the  current  emotional  response,  symbolist  association  or  group  called  him  after  the  generation  gap  of  two.  Edgar  lost  his  mother  through  exploitation  and  father  through  neglecting  at  very  young  age  of  3  years;  he  has  only  older  brother  and  younger  sister.

The  children  of  his  families  were  divided  up,  going  to  different  people  house  to  live.  Edgar  went  Virginia  that  is  home  of  Frances  Allan  and  John  which  gave  him  a  middle  name  Poe,  and  the  house  was  a  charitable  Richmond.

The  connection  between  Poe’s  effort,  hard  work  and  his  terrifying  life  isn’t  tough.  Behind  a  show  of  sometimes  significant,  sometimes  reduced  “realism,”  his  imaginary  work  looks  like  the  dreams  of  a  troubled  individual  who  keeps  coming  back,  night  after  night,  to  the  same  pattern  of  dream.

At  that  period  he  traces  out  the  pattern  evenly,  at  other  times  in  a  “considerate”  humor,  but  normally  the  manner  is  terror.  He  finds  himself  downward,  into  a  basement,  a  wine  burial  chamber,  eddy,  always  falling.

To  show  the  investigation  of  the  human  being,  an  example  was  given  to  his  opponent  by  Poe.  The  example  was  about  the  final  arrival  of  the  deep  privacy  of  his  internal  personality  for  himself  by  going  away  deep  into  himself  .

According  to  the  investigation,  to  distinguish  much  of  20th-century  skill,  and  it  is  the  notable  success  of  Poe  as  an  performer  that  his  work  looks  ahead  with  such  amazing  accuracy  to  the  work  of  the  century  that  followed.

 When  seeing  the  building  at  first  sight,  his  courage  was  pervade,  seeing  the  unbearable  darkness,  he  was  not  knowing  how  it  happened  to  him.

Before  him  he  looked  at  the  scene  of  the  walls  which  where  unwelcoming,  the  windows  which  were  vacant,  the  house  which  are  plain  or  measly,  and  the  straightforward  scenery  features  of  the  area,  he  also  looked  upon  a  small  number  of  grade  sedges,  the  trees  where  decomposed  and  had  white  trunks,  with  an  absolute  depression  of  soul  which  he  can  compare  to  no  possible  feeling  more  correctly  than  to  the  after,  in  everyday  life  there  is  sour  fall,  the  covering  was  too  dropping  and  ugly,  dream  of  the  reveller  upon  opium.

Presently  there  was  coolness,  a  dipping;  an  illness  of  the  heart,  not  convert  dullness  of  thinking  which  not  make  of  the  imagination  might  suffer  into  aught  of  the  inspiring.  What  was  it  –  He  silenced  to  believe  –  what  was  it  that  so  scared  him  in  the  meditation  of  the  House  of  Usher?

It  neither  was  an  inscrutability  every  one  unsolvable;  nor  can  He  struggle  by  way  of  the  obscure  imagine  that  packed  ahead  him  because  He  considered.

He  was  required  to  drop  reverse  ahead  the  unacceptable  end,  that  at  the  same  time  as,  further  than  uncertainty,  there  are  mixtures  of  extremely  straightforward  ordinary  substance  which  contain  the  control  of  therefore  touching  everyone,  unmoving  the  examination  of  this  authority  dishonesty  amongst  thoughts  away  from  the  deepness.

                                                                Work  cited  page:

www.bookrags.com.  March  26,  2008.  http://www.bookrags.com/biography/edgar-allan-poe/.

www.classic-literature.co.uk.  March  26,  2008.  http://www.classic-literature.co.uk/american-authors/19th-century/edgar-allan-poe/the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher/

www.classic-literature.co.uk.  March  26,  2008.  http://www.classic-literature.co.uk/american-authors/19th-century/edgar-allan-poe/the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher/book-page-02.asp

In her short story “The Man to Send Rainclouds” Leslie Silko writes about the burial of a dead native elder, stating that “he sat down to rest in the shade and never got up again” (Silko 1). Silko uses obscurity and symbolism to display her attitude towards culture. She was very open to different religions and ways of life because she was of a mixed descent.

Obscurity is a recurring motif in the story. Silko uses it to show how blurred the lines of culture can really become. “The curtains were heavy, and the light from within faintly penetrated…” (Silko 2) is an example of a quote that features the motif. It showcases that because there wasn’t sufficient lighting it was hard to see, which is a metaphorical way of saying that a clear decision couldn’t be made. It was unclear whether giving the natives the holy water was right or wrong in the priest mind and this quote highlighted that fact. Another quote is “They were nearly hidden by the red blanket,” (Silko 2). It is an example of obscurity because the blanket is blocking the view of Teofilo and his moccasins which can be interpreted as the culture itself being hidden. Examples of the motif of obscurity can be found in many parts of the short story.

Symbolism is a very prevalent literary element in Silko’s work. One example is in the quote, “Leon’s green arm jacket that was too big for her,” (Silko 2) where the jacket represented the western culture. It was something that Louise was not used to and it didn’t suit her. It seemed as though it was placed into her life unwillingly but she began to embrace the different way of life. Another example of symbolism is Teofilo; it could be argued that he represented the native culture. With his death came the breakdown of his culture. His people began to incorporate the western ways of living into their own. Symbolism is a very important part of this story because Silko uses it to communicate with the reader.

All in all, “The Man to Send Rainclouds” is a piece of literature that is written with a motif of obscurity and a lot of symbolism. Both keeps the reader entertained and betters the work. Silko maintained openness to the cultures of both the western world and the natives while showing that one was beginning to overtake the other.

Because Hally’s father is an alcoholic cripple, Sam takes it upon himself to be a better role model in Hally’s life, which is why the kite is a sign of Sam’s fatherly love for Hally and a lesson to Hally to not judge people that are different.

The kite is a clear symbol of Sam’s love for Hally. As a little boy, Hally did not have someone he could look up to because he was ashamed of his father’s behavior. Sam took pity on him and decided to be a good example for Hally. Sam made the kite because he loved Hally and he wanted Hally to have something that he could be proud of. When thinking back to that day, Hally said, “I was so proud of us! It was the most splendid thing I had ever seen.” Now that Hally is grown, Sam still tries to be a good father figure but he failed to help Hally because Hally is still a rude, judgmental, and racist boy. Sam tries at one final attempt to save Hally when he says, “Should we try again, Hally? … Fly another kite, I suppose. It worked once, and this time I need it as much as you do.” Even though Hally became a terrible person, Sam never gave up on him because Hally was a son to him.

The kite also represents Sam’s lesson to Hally to not judge people, even though that lesson clearly did not pass through Hally’s thick skull. Hally’s first thoughts about Sam making a kite were, “the sheer audacity of it took my breath away. I mean, seriously, what the hell does a black man know about flying a kite? … I had no hopes for it” and “Can you remember what the poor thing looked like? … Hell no, that was now only asking for a miracle to happen.” But despite its appearance, Hally said, “I still can’t believe my eyes… the miracle happened…” when it proved itself by flying high in the wind. Obviously Sam failed once again to make Hally a decent human being, because Hally still proves to be judgmental and now very racist as a teenager.