In this essay, I will discuss motif and theme in ‘Franny’, and how these are working with focalization and narration. The motif of the sheared-raccoon coat, which is mentioned two times during the narrative, represents the evolution in the relationship between Franny and Lane, because of their different look at authenticity and finery in life. In the beginning of the short story, when Franny arrives at the station, one of the first things Lane notices, is Franny’s coat. He also remembers that he kissed the coat lapel once, which could represent the fact he is actually not really in love with Franny’s personality, but with her likeable image and the way other people are watching her. This situation is also interesting for the analysis of …show more content…
Considering this, it is logical the coat is not mentioned again, because this motif only makes sense from the point of view of Lane – only he has specific memories about this coat – and he is not the focalizer anymore. The previously mentioned discussion about ‘keeping up appearances’ also touches the overall theme of the text. After all, the changing relationship between Lane and Franny, metaphorically displayed by the sheared-raccoon coat, also represents the tension between the principal characters and their view on acting in life: on the one hand the importance of image, on the other hand the importance of being authentic in relationships. This tension between the two principal characters is displayed by a continuous switch in focalization: both external and internal focalization are used. In the beginning, there is an external focalizer who just describes the happenings, but he often gets interrupted by Lane, who acts like an internal focalizer – commonly during passages about Franny. Like this, the reader is seeing Franny through the eyes of Lane. Further in the story, it becomes clear the view Lane has about Franny is incorrect, so the – incorrect – focalization of Lane disappears and the external focalizer becomes more
The use of simile in the last stanza ‘matchstick hands as pale as the violet stems they lived among’ is used to compare a frog to violet flowers, which are very delicate and easily broken. The innocence of childhood is painted through this visual technique as the narrator only sees the frogs being very delicate, but to the readers the simile also creates a vivid image of the condition of the ‘Frogs’/ the French. The use of first person helps to create a reminiscent tone about the narrator’s experiences, and further helps to stress the ideas of childhood innocence and the influence of war on children because the poem is written from a child’s perspective. The use of enjambment generates a conversational and personal tone, emphasizing to the readers the reality of the themes discussed throughout the poem. The use of symbolism of frogs as pets and also representing the French highlights the idea that adults saw ‘Frogs’ as insignificant or unworthy to speak about, whereas the children could not understand this adult thought, and they placed exemplary regard to the wellbeing of the
In his evaluation of Little Red Riding Hood, Bill Delaney states, “In analyzing a story . . . it is often the most incongruous element that can be the most revealing.” To Delaney, the most revealing element in Little Red Riding Hood is the protagonist’s scarlet cloak. Delaney wonders how a peasant girl could own such a luxurious item. First, he speculates that a “Lady Bountiful” gave her the cloak, which had belonged to her daughter. Later, however, Delaney suggests that the cloak is merely symbolic, perhaps representing a fantasy world in which she lives.
Hopkinson’s allusions to the old folk tale "Little Red Riding Hood" are evident throughout the entire story. Her use of symbolic settings, items and phrases integrate the connection between the two stories, forcing the readers to use prior knowledge of the old folk tale to understand her reinterpretation.“Riding the Red”(Hopkinson), “my cottage in the forest” (Hopkinson) and “red hood”(Hopkinson) are specific examples of allusive language Hopkinson uses to emphasize the connections between the two stories. By engaging the readers fundamental knowledge of the "Little Red Riding Hood" the author is able to strengthen the morals of her story and allow the reader to make connections with their childhood memories. These allusions incorporated throughout the short story ensuring the reader is more likely to understand her intended message the destruction of innocence when becoming a young woman.
Meanwhile, Carol’s costume and performance paint her as simultaneously both more and less of an outsider than Therese. Establishing shots show throngs of holiday shoppers in dark wool coats and neutral colored suits, bustling around completing their holiday shopping. Then, the audience meets Carol. In an extravagant, caramel colored fur coat, a scarlet hat and scarf, and with fiery red lips and nails, Carol stands out from the crowd. Her slow, deliberate gaze contrasts the hustle of the shoppers. She is alone, while most other are accompanied by spouses, friends, or children, and she exudes an air of mystery and angst. Carol’s costume and mannerisms in this case align with Doty’s claim, however the classically feminine and glamorous way in which Carol presents herself complicates the connection. While Carol is in fact depicted as being an other, she aligns better with normative standards of female beauty and sexuality than all others in this scene. This notion is present throughout the film as Carol embodies the pinnacle of what women in this time aspired to exude; she’s elegant and witty, intelligent and compelling, beautiful and wealthy, and a wife and mother. However,
Additionally, by including less detail, Spiegelman makes his characters easier to relate to, or as McCloud references, more universal. After Vladek recalls the hanging of a few of his associates, Spiegelman illustrates a very plain, bleak image of him mourning their loss in present day. The image consists of the most basic character features, making it effortless for the reader to mentally input their face on Vladek’s. Overall, this “amplification through simplification” (McCloud), aids the reader in feeling the emotion of the character, finding a deeper connection to the story as a whole, and can reveal universal truths.
Clothes also are important motifs. They are signifiers of Ada's restricted life and of her potentiality for sexual expressiveness. The clothes represent Ada's time in life.
In the short story “The Red Convertible” you will find some important elements that are integral to the support and development of the theme brotherhood. First, you will see how the road trip gives a lesson in the story. Second, you will discover how the war affected the relationship of Lyman and Henry. Finally, you will understand the symbolism of the red convertible and the link it has between both brothers. One important element that has a powerful lesson in the story is the road trip. While Lyman and Henry went on a drive one afternoon, they met a girl named Susy in the middle of the road. Susy had her hair in buns around her ears and was very short. They let her jump in the car and
A theme, by literary definition, is a central topic of a text.This means that they are a always a part of every story. Mainly, themes symbolize the, sometimes hidden, meanings of texts. In one particular story of Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” one theme is evident throughout this short story, and it centers around the neglect of morals and ethical beliefs. Throughout the text, this idea of moral neglect is apparent, and the story describes how derelict the ethics of the people of Omelas have become.
Theme is an integral part of this story and is mostly presented through the narrator. One of the major themes of the story is conscience, in which many of the conflicts in the
The writer composes the story from the perspective of an analyst. She alludes to occasions later on, facts, and information that no character could have known in the setting of the story. Incorporated into the content are genuine quotes said or composed by the general population she expounds on, including the primary character. She utilizes an extremely objective voice, giving successive analysis of distinctive individuals' outlook and continually alluding to insights to demonstrate her point. Since the book does not focus on the point of view of any single character, it peruses more like a news article than a story, which frequently exhausting its groups of readers. Accordingly, Hillenbrand's written work style once in a while obstructs the correspondence of her thoughts because she regularly includes actualities, quotes and investigation in the book; it usually bores audience on the grounds that it peruses more like a news article instead of a
-Concrete subjects are used to convey abstract feelings. The bounded feet with “marks and callouses” and the “asymmetrical cropped hair” are representatives of two different cultures. This literature device makes the essay more vivid and encourages readers to think.
Henry 's worn clothing, Bonita 's photo, and Henry 's boots were all used for symbolism in this story. The Red Convertible showed
______. His red hunting hat is symbolic of many things. He wears it during important times such as writing the composition about Allie’s baseball glove, yet he seems to be embarrassed to wear it in public. “I took my old hunting hat out… and put it on. I knew I wouldn’t meet anybody that knew me” (122). Even though he lacks confidence to wear it frequently, it becomes a part of how he sees himself. He acknowledges that it’s “corny” but he personally likes how it looks; it is a symbol of his uniqueness and desire to be different. The red color of the hat is also noteworthy, the same as Allie and Phoebe’s hair. He may associate ‘red’ with purity and innocence those characters represent and wears it as a connection to them.
In Michael Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion, the play of light and shadow are reoccurring motifs that identify and relate to the general themes of remembering and forgetting. H. Porter Abbott has defined motif as “a discrete thing, image, or phrase that is repeated in a narrative”, where in contrast, a theme “is a more generalized…concept that is suggested by… motifs” (237). Abbott emphasizes that “Themes are implicit in motifs, but not the other way around” (95). In In the Skin of a Lion, Ondaatje emphasizes the class struggles endured by the immigrant workers and the internal struggles faced by the central characters. The motif of chiaroscuro, the play of light and shadow, reflects how the characters try to forget their past and personal burdens, and strive to recall joyful memories, which aides them in embracing new beginnings and creating new memories. I will argue that the motif of light relates to the theme of remembering and the motif of shadow identifies with the theme of forgetting. I will show these relationships by analyzing the imagery and context of four central scenes in which light and shadow play a significant role. Firstly, I will discuss the event of the nun falling off the unfinished bridge. Secondly, I will consider the candle-light vigil held for the deceased bridge works. Thirdly, I will discuss the working conditions of the tunnel workers in the section “Palace of Purification”, and lastly, I will analyze the concluding scene in which Patrick and Hana
At the beginning, it is seen that a 19-year-old girl, who works as a waitress at the Five and Ten restaurant named Florentine is the main focus, but the novel revolves around Florentine’s mother, Rose-Anna. Rose-Anna represents many themes throughout the story such as, personal loss, struggle and solitude, which presents her as a round character. Firstly, Rose-Anna experiences loss when she loses three of her eleven children at a young age, she lost her son Daniel who died from Leukemia, her son Eugène and her husband Azarius to the war and Florentine to marriage. Her loss is only a part of her struggles, Rose-Anna and her family struggle through life because they live in poverty. Rose-Anna represents struggle because she must take care of eleven children as well as another one coming on the way. While, Florentine and Eugène are forced to work for a living to earn money for rent and food, instead of going to school. This demonstrates Rose-Anna as a round character because she always blamed Azarius for their poverty, but by the end, she realized that “she always held [Azarius] responsible for their poverty, but now it seemed to her he had done his part” (Roy 372). The last theme that