Symbolism C • “…you’ve got to do something about her—

							C   • “…you’ve got to do something about her—
h     You’ve let thing go on too long, Atticus, too
      long.”
a   • My feathers rose again. “You tryin’ to tell me
      what to do?” “Naw, it’s—he’s got a lot on his
p     mind now, without us worrying him.”
t   • “I’m not scared…” Dill muttered.
    • “You’re not a boy. Boys get out and play
e     baseball with other boys, they don’t hang
      around the house worryin’ their folks.”
r   • “Scout, let’s get us a baby.”
    • “Why do you reckon Boo Radley’s never run
      off?” Dill sighed a long sigh and turned away
1     from me. “Maybe he doesn’t have anywhere to
      run off to.”
4
       Chapters 15 and 16
• Page 151—What do you make of this
  confrontation? How do the children
  react?
• Page 153—Is it convincing that Scout
  would be able to diffuse a potentially
  violent situation?
• Page 158—How are the townspeople
  described? What does this say about
  the town and its activities?
• Page 164—How is the courtroom
  setting significant to the story?
  Symbolism
A symbol is something that
represents something else
  What can be a symbol?
• An object
• Picture
• Written
  word
• Sound
• Numerals
• Language
Religious Symbols
Mathematical Symbols
Political Symbols
          Maple Leaf = All things
          Canadian
          Red Bars = Pacific and
          Atlantic Ocean
          (surrounding Canada)
          Red Bars also =
          English and French
          influences
Color Symbolism
    Symbolism in Writing

• Symbolism is used to provide
  meaning to the writing beyond
  what is actually being described
• Plot and action are one level in
  the story, symbolism is another
  level
     Symbolism in Writing

• The theme is represented on a
  physical level
• Example: A storm occurring when
  there is a conflict or high emotions
• Example: Transition from day to
  night might = move from goodness
  to evil
  Examples from Literature

Lord of the Flies
Ralph with his conch shell represents
 order and democracy, while Jack
 symbolizes savagery and anarchy. The
 island itself symbolizes the world in
 which we live, and the actions of the
 characters are symbolic of the way
 people conduct their lives
           Examples from Literature
  Harry Potter
  Could be seen as containing a lot of
   symbolism, although there are as many
   interpretations as there are creatures in
   the books. One clear symbol is a
   commonly used one—the use of the
   snake to represent evil. It is no
   coincidence that the symbol of Slytherin
   House is a serpent.
All information and examples from: http://www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/symbolism/page.html
Symbolism in
  To Kill a
Mockingbird
Symbolism: The Mockingbird
• The only time Atticus describes “sin” to his
  children, he advises Scout and Jem to
  avoid shooting mockingbirds.
• Why does the mockingbird (p. 90) become
  a central symbol of the novel?
• How does this warning relate to the other
  events of the story?
• How does exploration of the mockingbird
  shed light on other elements of the story?
    Symbolism: Characters
Choose a character whose name
  serves a symbolic function.
• Explain how the name as a symbol
  relates to the real person.
• Does the person reflect his or her
  namesake or contradict his or her
  namesake?
• Why has Lee depicted them this way?