jefrye t1_iybc3bt wrote on November 30, 2022 at 3:08 AM

Reply to comment by noknownothing in english teachers and symbolism by mzjolynecujoh

Better yet, OP's teacher should stop overusing the word "symbolism."

Imo the huge misunderstanding that spawned the "the curtains are blue" meme boils down to English teachers overusing that word (same with "foreshadowing," but that's another can of worms). Blue "symbolizes" sadness; standing on a hill "symbolizes" isolation. It implies that authors are using this ridiculous, elaborate secret code to get their message across and that this code is the heart of the text.

In reality, the word "symbolism" is (usually) being used by teachers as a lazy shorthand that skips over the core reason the purported "symbolism" is being used. The curtains are blue because that color sets the tone of the scene to accentuate the character's sadness; Holden stands on the hill because he has set himself apart from his peers due to his isolation. This is a much more concrete and approachable way to discuss literature.

Some books definitely are chock full of symbolism that needs to be discussed as such, eg The Scarlet Letter and The Great Gatsby. But in most other books, what teachers reductively call "symbolism" is actually a variety of concrete literary techniques that need to be unpacked.

-Spin- t1_iybwfbf wrote on November 30, 2022 at 6:18 AM

Which is something I would imagine most of the discussed teachers understand, but are having a demonstrably hard time getting the students commenting on Reddit to understand.

Hope_on_the_Wind t1_iydfsa6 wrote on November 30, 2022 at 4:09 PM

Sometimes, though, insisting a symbol can mean one--and only one--thing is an attempt at ignoring or dismissing a reader's personal and cultural experiences. To someone who finds blue to be a calming color, the curtains could symbolize the character's desire for a semblance of peace and hope in a chaotic world. Someone who lives in hill country could interpret standing on one simply as a way to gain perspective. The meaning and the supporting evidence might be different from the symbol's more conventional interpretation, but it doesn't (or shouldn't) be no less valid for the reader.