2009. A symbol is
an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range
of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea,
clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing
on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work
and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do
not merely summarize the plot.
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, describes a young man named Gregor, who wakes up to find he has transformed into some sort of bug. Throughout the novel Gregor struggles to hide is shame, struggles with humanity, and the dealing with his metamorphosis. An apparent symbol throughout the story can be illustrated by food.
When his family first discovers his transformation they are overwhelmed by fear. Only his sister (the family member he feels closest to) dares to enter his bedroom - where Gregor is hiding - to give him some food. By leaving his favorite food/beverage - milk - she helps illustrate the vulnerability and caring that can be shared when sharing a meal. Upon discovering that Gregor has not touched the milk, she brings him a variety of scraps in an effort to find something he'd like. This again shows the compassion that can be extended. As a necessity to survive, we depend on on food. For that purpose the sharing of food plays such an important role in character interaction. As illustrated in Thomas Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor, meals play an important role in the development of the novel.
When his family first discovers his transformation they are overwhelmed by fear. Only his sister (the family member he feels closest to) dares to enter his bedroom - where Gregor is hiding - to give him some food. By leaving his favorite food/beverage - milk - she helps illustrate the vulnerability and caring that can be shared when sharing a meal. Upon discovering that Gregor has not touched the milk, she brings him a variety of scraps in an effort to find something he'd like. This again shows the compassion that can be extended. As a necessity to survive, we depend on on food. For that purpose the sharing of food plays such an important role in character interaction. As illustrated in Thomas Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor, meals play an important role in the development of the novel.
Later in the novel, after Gregor has been living with his family for several years, his family must rent out parts of their apartment to tenants in order to make money. One evening Gregor - who is normally locked inside his room - sneaks through his open door to see his mother serving the tenants their meal. Witnessing this action fills him with jealously and brings back memories of the times when he would eat dinner with his family. At this point in the story his family's attentiveness to Gregor condition has diminishes and they don not feed him as much as they used to. He is starving while the tenants eat his mother's food. The food, and the act of sharing it, triggered an emotional response.
Further into the story, Gregor's father, in a fit of rage, throws an apple at Gregor which strikes him in the back. Symbolically turning Gregor's vulnerability against him, Mr. Samsa's act of anger demonstrates how a character's weakness can be turned against him.
Further into the story, Gregor's father, in a fit of rage, throws an apple at Gregor which strikes him in the back. Symbolically turning Gregor's vulnerability against him, Mr. Samsa's act of anger demonstrates how a character's weakness can be turned against him.
Reflection: I ran out of time. I don't think I even fulfilled part of the requirements of the prompt. I summarized more than I analyzed. If I ran out of time before I finished the essay on the AP Test then I wouldn't get a chance to re-read to correct my mistakes, so I'm posting this without a read through.
This would make a good essay, if you had more time! Yeah, I'm not sure you entirely fulfilled the prompt, but you had good ideas. I don't think food is entirely the best symbol because it seems kind of vague, it isn't a symbol specific to the story you're writing this essay about. You do explain your examples quite well too, but the last paragraph, about his vulnerability, confused me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Preeti that if there was more time, this would be a great essay. I also agree that the last paragraph was confusing, does the food represent his vulnerability? I see how you had food as having more than one meaning, since symbols don't typically have just one meaning, though I feel like it would be hard to give food meanings.
ReplyDeleteLike Preeti and Caitlyn, I definitely think you could have done great things with this essay if you'd had more time to analyze, as opposed to summarizing. You did an excellent job of showing what you'd learned from How to Read Literature Like a Professor--I thought of the chapter on communion when you said "she helps illustrate the vulnerability and caring that can be shared when sharing a meal," before you even mentioned Foster's book. It was a bit unclear what you thought the food symbolized, though. Vulnerability, maybe? What else? While they aren't particularly pretty, statements like "food symbolizes________" could help with clarity.
ReplyDelete