Rain Symbolism In American Literature

Symbolism in American Literature All through American Literature, symbolism can be found littered on many pages. In some of our most studied pieces of literature, one can see the underlying meanings to a novel just by dissecting the the item or character that symbolizes something. Whether it symbolizes an event in history, a legend, or a belief, one can use symbolism to help convey a thought into the reader’s mind. American Literature is especially prone to symbolism as authors tend to create events or characters to represent a deeper meaning. One type of symbolism is through the weather. From rain, to snow, to sunny days, weather can not only set a mood, but represent a certain emotional element to the story. For instance, in Thomas C. Forster’s novel, How to Read Literature like a Professor, he states that rain, “...cleanses her of illusions and the false ideal of beauty.”(Foster 72). In the portion of this chapter, he speaks on how rain can be a cleaning factor, washing away all facades and leaves you in nothing but your true, naked self. This can be seen in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. The author decides to create the scene where Gatsby, a
In John Krakauer's novel, Into The Wild, Chris McCandless leaves his normal life and goes hitchhiking until eventually disappearing into the forests of Alaska where he would soon meet his untimely demise. In Krakauer’s novel, he says, “I now walk into the wild.”(Krakauer 69). By this statement, he is using the wild to symbolize that Chris had become a rebel in a sense. The wild, when compared to modern society, can be seen as something completely apart from us. The wild can be seen as the outlandish and unforgiving counterpart of life. Chris, wanting to experience the most out of his life, decides to live in the wild and attempt to survive. This symbolizes Chris leaving the safety of his home and his hunger for rebellious