symbolism
Im starting to get to grips with the importance of symbolism in creative writing so thinking of novel.
The spider is symbolic of being able to travel between the real and mystical worlds.
The rain lashed his bedroom window and he sat watching the spider spin its web and in thought of how he would tell his story and if any of them would ever believe it.
The above crap prose is pretty meaninglis on first read but when read with symbolic glasses takes on a different meaning or does it.
Ok
So
As novelists poets and short story writers how important is symbolism to you and how often do you use.
As readers are we always aware of the writers use of thought of symbolism
As writers is symbolism an important and neccessary part of the story.
Im especially interested in the views of the published novelists around here but equally interested in everyones view.
Regards
Personally I think is a pretty Important part of would we could summarise as art in creative writing.
I think the writer who we can call an artist will work with symbolism were as maybe the proffesional writer will not.
I think I see a difference in a writer who we can call an artist eg james joyce ulysees for example and a writer who is a proffesional writer but maybe not an artist eg jeffrey archer for example so the artist will work with symbolism in his writing.
Do the great artist not all do this.
Am I right in make that difference. Although both writers may achieve the same recognition and equal body of work. One is an artist and one is a proffessional writer. A subtle difference.
Stanley kubrik /// artist
Stephen king /// proffesional writer
As usual I admit I may be wrong.
Anyone ?
I think if you got rid of symbolism you would have to throw entire genres like Satire, Surrealism, Myth and Magic Realism out of the window because they are all essentially forms of allegory which is extended metaphor/symbol. Personally, I think that symbolism is just another weapon in the arsenal of a creative writer and a good writer can surely find a way to use symbolism to good effect. One writer, I know, who eschewed symbolism altogether was the Egyptian poet Constantine P. Cavafy but I think writers who don't use any symbolism at all are bound to be very rare.
Plus, symbolism allows a writer to be subversive because, by veiling your true meaning in symbolism, you can say things indirectly.
Oh look, a link. I wonder where it leads.
JoHn
Weres the best web site or does anyone know a good book that lists all kinds of modern symbolism and meanings and discusses in depth.
(((I)))