Chapter 12: "Is that a Symbol?"

   
        What is a symbol and what does it mean? What do you think? Sometimes a symbol doesn't have a deep meaning like we think. There are some symbols that have a meaning we know, like the meaning of a white flag. When a symbol can be taken down to one meaning, then it is an allegory. An allegory is a story, or poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political meaning. A good example is John Bunyan's, "The Pilgrims Progress." I know that in past English classes I've taken whenever we read a story, poem, or passage we are always told to look for the the different symbols. We are told to break down the reading and analyze it.
     Foster explains that if we want to find symbols in a reading we must ask questions, have prior knowledge and experience. For example the cave can have many meanings like in "A Passage to India." In order to figure out what the meaning behind it is you have to use the three things: experience, knowledge and questions. Many authors use symbols to emphasize things that they want to emphasize in their story. Symbols are a way to give author's work color and make their story interesting, instead of actually writing about a character giving up, they can include a white flag, since we all know a white flag means surrender.
      In the story, "A Passage to India," they explain how she is innocent, and in a situation where she is about to face something she hasn't which is what the cave stands for. The cave stands for experience. The author includes a cave, because it signifies the known, and in order for her to know what is in that cave, she needs to experience it. Instead of directly approaching and being forward, they use a symbols.
      Sometimes readers will see a symbol differently and it's true. Whenever we are in class, and our teacher would ask the students in the class what they thought a certain thing in the story/passage meant, every student would have a different input of what they though it could mean. Sometimes a symbol in a reading is an event or action. Us as readers, are what give the author and its symbols life. Our imagination, and creativity especially is what helps a lot when reading and defining symbols. As students at Booker T. Washington HSPVA our minds is what puts these stories together. We feel what the author writes, and we are all different and unique, so we interpret the story and the symbols in it in different ways. The author writes his/hers story story and adds/includes symbols for special effects. The authors includes a symbol, allegory, a quote, a verse from the bible, or even a piece of borrowed literature to make their work more interesting, and engage their reader. Once we are engage our minds begin to work, and it starts analyzing what we are reading, and we begin to look for things like symbols in the reading.
       If you think it's a symbol it probably is. A symbol helps the story become meaningful and engaging. There are symbols in pretty much everything you read. If you rad a small passage to a full novel,you will find a lot of symbolism. There are some symbols that are already known to us, but it can have a different meaning depending on the story and how it is used. It's our job as readers to identify the symbol. Whether it's a symbols we already know, or a different symbol that the authors includes, symbols are good for reading. It helps the author and their work.

Watch What You Read Chapter 25: "Don't Read With Your Eyes" Emma Hernandez

   

   When a reader is reading, there is more behind the words that are written on the paper. "You have to read through eyes that are not your own," Foster says. We, as readers need to learn how to look and understand the characters from their point of view, in order to understand their story and situation. We need to learn how to see what their situation is through their perspectives. We need to watch what we read and interpret the story. "...if e want to get the most out of our reading as far as is reasonable, we have to try to take the works as they are intended to be taken." "...don't read only from your own fixed position...find a reading perspective that allows for sympathy with the historical moment of the story..." are some things written in this chapter.
 
  In order to gain from the reading, it's our job as readers to not just read and skim the surface, we need to dig deep in the story and squeeze every piece of important and useful information and detail. Analyzing a story well is very important and critical, because when you are reading you actually comprehend the story and the meaning behind it. The story can also become more personal, and you can take it more personally. I know and remember when we would read in past English classes, our teachers would tell uis that if we ever think a story or come across a story that we think is boring, or doesn't get our attention, to engage more into the replace the characters name with your. but what if instead of changing the name, you actually understand the story and the character's situation. Changing the name of the characters does make the story a little better, it does make the story a little more interesting, but once again you're only reading the surface. You're just changing the name, and you're still not understanding the story.
      
 Try to understand the character. Try to understand what they are going through with through their eyes. Try to understand their situation and imagine what it would be like to be in their shoes. Take in what they are going through and what's going on. "Readers perspective matters" Actually EXPERIENCE the story and get lost in it. Maybe you'll learn and grow from it. Maybe when you dig into the story there is something in that story that applies to you. Make it personal, it would really help a lot when you're reading any piece of literature. To become a good reader and understand a piece of literature enjoy the story and take it in. If you actually read with perspective you might enjoy it a little more, and see things that you didn't see before when you where just a reader who was reading with their eyes.