Symbolically Simple

"Here's the problem with symbols: people expect them to mean something. Not just any something, but one something in particular. Exactly. Maximum. You know what? It doesn't work like that." -Foster p.97-98

                I am so glad to see that Foster does not think that symbols need to have only one meaning. I completely agree that symbols can be something personal. They mean different things to different people. I like to think that literature is open to interpretation. The author is not simply telling his or her reader what to feel or think. They are providing different elements that encourage the reader to think for themselves. Literature cannot always be cut and dry. I feel that symbolism can be found in anything, all a reader has to do is look beyond the words on a page. Some meanings can be simple, some can be more complex - it just depends on how the reader chooses to look at something. Using your instincts and following your "gut" is important. Like Foster said, all interpretations can be correct; it all depends on the lenses you choose to read through.

I also liked how Foster provided sample questions a reader could think about while trying to interpret a symbol (p. 106). It provided a simple guide on how to really analyze a literary work (which comes in handy if literature is not your academic specialty).

Thoughts From Other Students