Imagery and symbolism

Imagery and Symbolism

Many authors use imagery to explain or describe sensitive experiences to the text. For instance, visual imagery, which pertains to sight, allows the reader clearly see the events and places in the entire text. Auditory imagery, which pertains sound and in the form of onomatopoeia uses languages like bells chimed and crows (Atwood, 40). Other forms of imageries include olfactory imagery, gustatory imagery, tactile imagery, kinaesthetic imagery, and Organic imagery. Symbolism on the other side means the interpretation form of an object or ritual used in writing, customs, and arts. Authors use symbolism because they have a deeper meaning. An author may choose to use something like object, word, or an item to signify some idea. For example, an author can use a rose to symbolize love. Types of Imagery and Symbolism use in the book

Imageries
American Expansion
Atwood uses American images showing how Americans were invading and ruining Canada. The Americans put missile silos, filled the villages with tourist cabins, and left trashes everywhere. Atwood describes the growth and expansion of American as the cause of cultural and psychological infiltration. The narrator describes the Americans as having brain disease, relating their identity with behaviors instead of nationalism. According to Atwood, an American is o someone who involves himself with unnecessary violence, likes technology, and misuses resources. David argues that he hates Americans, but he likes baseball and he tends to imitates woody Woodpecker. Atwood further describes American expansion as psychologically corrupt and destructive. The power Atwood keeps on mentioning power several times in his story to show that he is actively seeking “The power”.

In the fourth chapter, Atwood remembers her thoughts that a certain plant seeds will make her more powerful. She also says that Doctors claim that children’s birth was because of their power and the mothers’ ability (Atwood, 50). In the fifteenth chapter, Atwood remembers herself pretending to be a powerful and helpless animal. She later emphasizes for the quest of “the power”. She claims that, ever since her birth, she has been receiving isolations and emotional hurting from the unfair religious and gender roles. She later gains her by promising not to be powerless. She later comes to understand that, for one to a good member of the society, one must learn on how to love and communicate. Symbolism

The Barometer
Atwood portrays barometer symbolism when Paul’s wooden barometer, which shows a woman and man inside it becomes an emblem of marriage. Assessment of the barometer symbolizes her attitudes towards marriage. Atwood finally compares the barometer couples with Paul and Madame, which according to her means empty marriage. She notes that Paul and Madame look wooden. She even compares the barometer symbol with her parents cutting a portion of birch. The birch image is good because Atwood relates birches with the undestroyed nature. The of barometer also symbolizes unrealistic, and unattainable type of romance, although her parents have true love. The Hanged Heron

The use of Hanged Heron represents the America way of a destructive nature. The narrator keeps on thinking about the senselessness of her slaughter, knowing that it was hanged instead of being buried. Atwood uses the Heron’s death to define one as an American-based on his own deeds. She complains that any action of violence is American-Based. The fact that the bird was killed using a bullet and a nylon rope hanging it, this shows a version nature towards technology. The hanged bird according to the narrator symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which shows the Christian ideology (Atwood, 50). The narrator uses Christian idea to describe her Religion nature. During the time of her madness, Atwood compares herself with the hanged heron, worrying that the search party will hang her. Atwood compares how men were taking control of their women with the hanged heron. Make up

Anna’s style of make up, which her husband claims she applies daily, represents women’s defeat. Atwood compares Anna with a doll when she applies makeup on her face because by doing all this she becomes her husband’s sexual plaything. The narrator also uses makeup to represent women deception. Anna uses makeup to increase her beauty, behavior that represents how she sleeps with other men although she feels miserable. This makeup is completely different from the narrator’s view of a natural woman. After the madness, the narrator looks herself in a mirror and describes herself as a pure natural woman. Anna uses makeup to follow the ideals of a corrupt woman.

The Ring
Ring in the story symbolizes marriage. The narrator explains why she wears both her husband and boyfriend’s rings on her neck (Tandon, 76). The rings symbolize both marriage and its effects to many women. She says that her rings represent crucifix and military decoration. The crucifix demonstrates that marriage was not a sacrifice while the military decoration defines that marriage made women be war spoils. Atwood uses narrator’s ring to describe Joe’s demand of getting married as depicted in Chapter 1. There is use of several references of bottles, tin cans, and jars through out the novel, which represents ways of containing life. “I put the worms in a can and some dirt for them” this also symbolizes the narrator’s emotions towards life, which has she puts into jars to prevent her from thinking about them. This is because she has lot effects of the abortion trauma. This abortion symbolizes the killing of own life. The narrator remembers a certain time when she was attending Sunday Schools to learn about Christianity. She remembers that she saw an image of Jesus Christ on a wall being tiredly looking.

She believed that one must experience pain and a lot of suffering before revealing of any revelations. The narrator also remembers how their neighbor disliked her family because they were not attending church services a situation, which caused many pains to her. The narrator uses rituals to help her gain more power of surviving. She supported by the rituals of her father and mother to survive and the magic mushrooms. The truth is that after looking for the depth of her soul, she surfaces to be a great person who can well fight for her survival. Her father died because of taking pictures of antler fishes. This happened when he knocked his head against one of painting rocks, which caused his death. The lake is another symbolism used in Surfacing, which has two meanings. The two meanings include that of nausea and redemption.

The protagonist throws himself in the lake waters. According to Atwood, the lake is the worst place and quite cold where many people perishes. Besides, water, which symbolizes life, associates with death, and according to the narrator, the lake make her remember two people who perished here. These two include her father, and her Festus (Tandon, 115). Another symbol emphasized in Surfacing is that of the victim. This is seen when characterizing the post colonialist and feminist theories where the two note to be common. This is because the two concerns the voice, and position of Agnew in the society. Atwood also makes use of food as imagery. The terms of food and eating are also as a political matter.

Conclusion

In conclusion, many authors use imagery and symbolism in their narrative to make their message, ideas, and thoughts well understood. Some of the authors use imageries like paradox, metaphors, and similes while others use the comparison of living beings with an object. Other authors use imagery and symbolism to increase humor in their narratives. There is a number of reasons why author use imagery and symbols in their work. One of the reasons is to express their thought or an emotion. Another reason is that symbolism and imagery make the reader think the same way the author.