Symbolism In Jacqueline Woodson's The Other Side

In the memoir, The Glass Castle, it was evident the Glass Castle was not just a physical object itself, but holds a deeper meaning of symbolism towards the author, Jeannette Walls. After completing the book, it has been noted that the Glass Castle symbolizes the constant reminder of Jeannette’s hope that one day both her family and house will be in a stable, working position. Throughout the novel, the Glass Castle was vaguely mentioned as the Walls family continued their journey through the United States. However, through their ongoing journey, Jeannette’s view of the Glass Castle changed, as it was inevitably just a vision that her father had implanted in her brain but never actually built in reality.

Authors use symbolism in order to prove points, represent emotions, or even to show ideas. In the memoir, The Glass Castle written by Jeanette Walls, the 'Glass Castle' itself represents the ray of hope that each child had as they grew up in a financially troubled and twisted family. The Glass Castle design was also used by her father as a way to get his children to trust that he will always try to provide for and protect his family. Rex Walls, Jeanette's father stated that the Glass Castle would have glass staircases, heating and cooling powered by solar energy, and even a water purification system. He planned the rooms with extreme precision and, “Carried the blueprints for the Glass Castle wherever [they] went” (Walls 25). He even had the kids, “Work on the design for our rooms” (Walls 25). All of this would be funded by his Prospector machine which would separate gold from other rocks. However, this machine was never used and Rex's drinking and gambling habits would always force the Walls family to move to a new location, putting the idea of the Glass Castle in the back of their minds.

Sometimes when one thinks of wealth, sometimes they think of all of their problems going away, and that everything in their life will suddenly be better. In some cases, this could be true, but in E Lockhart’s novel “We Were Liars,” that is not the case. This suspenseful Novel started off on a beautiful private island owned by a man named Harris Sinclair, whose family name was widely known for their wealth and power. This so called “perfect” family, surprisingly has way more problems than you would expect. Throughout this novel, Lockhart uses many symbols that represent the family and how they were affected throughout the story by their wealth. Even though there are many symbols, there was one major symbol in the story that was more important than the rest. E Lockhart uses Harris’s mansion, Clairmont, as a symbol of all of the family’s problems and shows how wealth and power can eventually lead a person to corruption.

In our world fear roams everywhere. In our streets, businesses, schools, and homes. Fear has caused wars, and treaties. Fear can cause people to start something amazing or horrific. People can change because of fear of a thing.

In “Parker’s Back” by Flannery O’Connor, the protagonist, Parker, deals with an internal struggle with religion. Throughout the story, Parker controls his mixed feelings by getting tattoos. Parker openly refuses God, but agrees to marry a religious woman and gets a religious tattoo. How does the author use symbolism to add significance the Parker’s actions? O’Connor portrays Parker’s changing relationship with religion by adding symbolism to the most important aspects of his life.

At the start of the text, there was a tone of happiness and joy. She was excited to be able to visit Washington, D.C. with her family. Although she wasn’t able to go with her class to Washington, because "they did not rent rooms to Negroes", there was still a tone of joy because she would be able to go. As the story goes on, the tone shifts to anger and frustration, mostly on the part of Audre. This was felt due to the racial injustice that her and her family faced throughout this vacation. It started on the way when they weren't allowed to eat in the dining cars, to being in the diner and not being given ice cream due to their race. This all ultimately leaves the readers sympathetic and upset.

“What is racism? Racism is a projection of our own fears onto another person. What is sexism? It’s our own vulnerability of our potency and masculinity projected as our need to subjugate from another person…” Gary Ross’s breakdown of the age-defying constructions of race and sexism exemplify how fabricated standards can take a toll on the well-being of individuals. American novelist Toni Morrison is renowned for her publications illustrating how racial stigma can dent a character physically, mentally and emotionally. “Sweetness”, an excerpt from God Help the Child, one of Morrison’s more recent works, follows the narrative of a guilt-stricken mother who allowed society’s predetermined notions of race interfere with her parenting, as her daughter was undeniably black while she and her husband have negro roots but are lighter skinned or ‘high-yellow’. As the story develops, it is obvious that the narrator, Lula Ann’s mother feels some sort of resentment for mistreating her child and holding her back from experiencing a blissful childhood like other youngsters, but is too shameful to admit it. With time, tables turn and Lula Ann, Lula Mae’s daughter is able to regain her self-esteem, moves away, builds a career, and is preparing to settle down with a family of her own and change her miserable fate given to her by her parents. Morrison successfully translates the destructive effects of prioritizing racial constructs through varied elements including: characterization, point of

The Holocaust was the mass murder of Jews under the control of Hitler during the period 1941-1945. More than 6 million Jews, as well as members of other groups, such as gypsies and homosexuals, were murdered at concentration camps the biggest camp was Auschwitz. They got tea for their morning meal, for lunch prisoners would be given a litre of soup that was watered down. If they were lucky, they might find a piece of a potato peel. One of the survivors of the holocaust stated “Your bowl was your life, without your bowl you didn’t eat.” (Kitty - Return to Auschwitz, YTV 1979) Hunger caused the Jew inmates to do things they normally wouldn't do.

The well known phrase “opposites attract” holds true in all cases, at least where electromagnetism is concerned. But even in the world of emotions this coined statement often holds some bearing, constantly appearing between romantic partners, colleagues, and everyday acquaintances. In The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, Aminata, an African child brought over to North America as a slave, demonstrates just how important this concept is. Thrown into a new world with little knowledge of her situation, Aminata develops multiple relationships with those around her as a means for survival, proving how people with vastly different personalities can form connections if the situation asks for it. As The Book of Negroes protagonist, survival becomes

Beneath the gore and smoke and loam, this book is about the evanescence of life, and why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow. In the end it is a story of the ineluctable conflict between good and evil, daylight and darkness, the White City and the Black. (Larson

Jacqueline Woodson was born in Columbus, Ohio to Jack Woodson and Mary Ann Irby. She has an older brother named Hope and an older sister names Odella. Only a year after Jacqueline’s birth, her parents separated and she and her siblings moved to her mother’s parents’ home in Greenville, South Carolina. Though slavery ended a century before and the Civil Rights Movement has already begun, racism and discrimination are rampant in the South. The children are left with their grandparents for long stretches as their mother explores New York. Eventually, Jacqueline’s mother finds a place for the family to live in New York, and she moves her children there. Besides adapting to life in New York, where Jacqueline and her siblings feel out of place due

“Could I change it if I wanted, can I rise above the flood? / Will it wash out in the water, or is it always in the blood?” (Mayer). A question posed by the artist John Mayer holds true for the characters in Flannery O’Connor’s most famous novel, Wise Blood. In this novel, O’Connor paints a picture of a small town in the heart of the Bible Belt and the internal struggle of its inhabitants. The protagonist, Hazel Motes, procures a twisted version of the Gospel and evangelizes to those who are made to believe they are lost. Yet, according to the teachings of Haze, this picture that humans are inherently sinful and in need of saving is false. In this novel, Flannery O’Connor uses inanimate objects to show the attempts of Haze to replace what he knows to be true. Enoch Emory, on the other hand, struggles with a curse he believes he was born with – wise blood. The prevalent themes of symbolism and imagery in Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood represent the inner battle between spirituality and the human nature of rebellion.

In the passage, “The Dead”, James Joyce reveals about the character’s qualities. James Joyce, the author of the excerpt, allows the reader to get to know the character, Gabriel, by using literary devices. For example, the author uses symbolism and imagery, to reveal so much about him, that Gabriel himself does not know about.

It doesn’t take long to figure out that race and ethnicity issues continue to affect America - a quick glance at the news will show the latest riot, hate crime, or police brutality incident. This centuries old struggle has given rise to a number of literary works on the topic, many of which take a different approach to the issue. W.E.B. Du Bois, for instance, published the work The Souls of Black Folk in 1903, arguing for blacks’ right to equality in a horrifically segregated society. In these essays, Du Bois coined the term “double-consciousness,” wherein those with black skin must view the world both from their own perspective, and from the perspective of the predominately white society. The short story Recitatif by Toni Morrison explores this concept through the removal of the characters’ races, and the film Do the Right Thing, directed by Spike Lee, tells a story to demonstrate it. While the former shows double-consciousness through the usage of ambiguity, the latter almost directly references the concept. Taken together, these two sources argue a multi-faceted version double-consciousness, wherein society alienates the characters in ways that go beyond just the color of one’s skin.

Tone is a major contributor to the work of the “Hate Poem”. “Tone is an aspect of point of view since it has a great deal to do with the narrator. Tone is the narrator’s predominant attitude toward the subject, whether that subject is a place, event, character or idea” (Writing Essays about Literature, Kelley Griffith page 46). When analyzing the “Hate Poem” by Julie Sheehan, “To understand the tone of the poem, we need to listen to the words, as we might listen to an actual conversation. The key is to hear not only what is being said but also how it is being said.” (Kennedy and Gioia) Her use of several styles of irony help with the tone she is trying to convey. She uses the word hate when it has the ability to actually mean it’s