Understanding the symbolism in a text is the key to gaining a higher grade in your English GCSE’s. And it needn’t be as complicated as you imagine. Think of the connections and associations you make about certain objects, such as a tree for example. What comes to mind when you see a tree? What do you think of? Some might think of nature, growth, or of seasons like summer or autumn, a few of the traditional ways of thinking about a tree which go beyond its obvious use as a resource. But why is this important in English?
It’s important because writers use symbolism to create extra layers of meaning that go beyond the obvious explicit facts. It is a form of figurative language which helps to convey an abstract concept or idea. If you can explain in detail the symbolism in a text in terms of how it helps creates meaning and effects, it shows that you are exploring beyond the surface literal meaning to a greater depth of analysis. This is something which deeply impresses examiners, helping you to gain you a higher grade. So, let’s have a look at some of the more common symbols that writers use in their texts.
Nature
Nature incorporates a whole gamut of objects and in its positive aspect, traditionally symbolises life, growth and health. Many of the texts you read in English will mention nature in some form or other, whether the moon, trees, rivers, lakes or stars. In ‘Purple Hibiscus’ for example, nature is described as a paradise, representing something of the innocent early life of the protagonist before she grows up in the face of a harsher societal reality.
Of course, like all symbols, nature also has a negative aspect. When represented in a text, it will usually come in the form of bad weather, such as in the ‘Life of Pi’ for example, when the protagonist barely survives a shipwreck during a storm. As the story progresses, Pi switches his narration from the people he observes to describing them as animals, perhaps symbolising the return of basic animal survival. At the beginning of the novel, Pi is a vegetarian, but he must incorporate all the hunting instincts of a tiger in order to survive out in the open sea on his own. All that is available to eat are the sea creatures he must catch and kill, something he could never imagine himself doing before the disaster.
Other common symbols of nature include birds, which can symbolise freedom and change, something used to poetic effect in the poem by Maya Angelou for example in ‘Caged Bird.’ Specific birds can symbolise different things, such as a dove symbolising peace or a raven or crow symbolising evil or death.
Colour
Colour is often used in literature and is rich in symbolism with traditional associations. For example, the colour red can symbolise passion or danger, white can imply goodness and innocence, black can represent death or evil. If a writer has used a colour, it will certainly add extra layers of meaning and nuance to a text, perhaps reinforcing an idea or recurrent motif. For example, in ‘The Silk Factory’ the ‘stranger child’ that appears out of nowhere in the protagonist’s garden, has a piece of ‘trailing white cloth’ which could suggest something of the young girl’s innocence and purity. When she suddenly disappears, it implies that the story will proceed in the trope of the traditional fairy story. Traditionally, protagonists of these tales had to pass through dangerous lands and dark forests to overcome something evil, symbolised in the text when the writer uses a negative semantic field to describe the garden.
Semantic Field
When analysing a text for symbolism, the semantic field can help considerably with understanding the context. A semantic field is a collection of words with similar meanings, sharing a common theme or topic, such as a semantic field of nature, or of conflict or of war. This is especially helpful when analysing a text where little seems to be happening. It is important then to explore the tone of the piece and the way language is being used.
Returning to ‘The Silk Factory,’ the main protagonist is described as merely looking out of the window while she is washing up, keeping an eye on her two children who are playing out in the garden. Not much seems to happen, despite the strange child appearing and disappearing again. However, the language used to describe the garden has negative connotations, with words such as ‘tangled’ ‘twisted’ ‘choking’ etc. This is a semantic field of negativity and pain, describing an overgrown garden full of brambles and nettles, weeds which sting and scratch. Something deeper and more sinister is going on, which will only become more obvious as the reader progresses through the novel.
All these symbols are merely the tip of the iceberg. However, armed with some knowledge of symbolism and semantic fields, you’ll begin to find texts easier to understand and unpack. This will help improve your ability to handle complex and nuanced ideas and increase the depth of your analysis and responses. Which in turn will gain you a higher grade and hopefully a deeper appreciation and enjoyment of the texts you’re presented with.
Sources
Purple Hibiscus, Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi, Feb 2017.
The Silk Factory, Allnatt, Judith, May 2015.
Caged Bird, Angelou, Maya, 1983: Poetry Foundation
Life of Pi, Martel, Yann, May 2002.