ipl-logo

An Analysis Of Symbolism In Herbal By Nalo Hopkinson

840 Words4 Pages

“Herbal” by Nalo Hopkinson can be interpreted in many ways. Some readers may presume that the story talks about anxiety and depression, while others say it is about drugs and possibly abuse. I believe that the story is about the main character, Jenny, and her life with an abusive partner. The story shows that a victim in an abusive relationship will always have feelings for their partner, even when the partner is no longer in his or hers life. There 's always that desire for the abusive partner because our human nature is to desire and be desired by someone.Even though the need to be with that special someone is toxic,there is always that need for the relationship. Our need to feel wanted by someone may lead us to some dark paths,and for Jenny,she is on a bad path. …show more content…

At one point in the story she describes how she sees an elephant in her apartment with dry ski. Obviously there isn’t an actual elephant in her appartment. She uses this imagery to describe her partner, so the elephant is not an actual elephant but is used more as a metaphor. When Jenny describes the elephant as having dry skin, she is saying that her partner is angry. The lotion is a symbol of conflict resolution and love. Jenny wants to apply lotion on the elephant, ashe wants to love the elephant, she wants to fix the broken relationship. She can’t speak with the elephant because it is angry and going through rampage breaking stuff in her apartment. For the elephant, the only way to deal with the situation is to be angry. The elephant is abusive, Hopkinson describes the elephant hitting her with her trunk and making her fly into the wall. I see this as the partner punching or pushing Jenny into the wall. Which is something that he should not be

Show More
Related

  • Andy Is The Tiger Analysis

    472 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the story Andy Is the tiger. Monty is the only character in the book compares Andy to a tiger he says “well I drew a picture last week st school and the teacher wanted to know why I put tears on a tigers. I told her he was very sad, like you get sometimes.” Monty in a way is telling Andy that it is ok to be sad and that there is no shame in being upset. Also in this part Andy teaches Monty something that if you want to be creative and try something new that you should go on and try it.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver

    190 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, the Price family forcefully goes on a journey to the Congo to assist Nathan, the fatherly head, in educating the people of the Congo about the word of God. Throughout the novel, Nathan uses the symbol of the bangala tree as a comparison to Jesus considering “bangala” means something precious and dear. However, the meaning of this word changes completely when spoken improperly. In the beginning of the novel Nathan's experiences of the time he spent in war are revealed, which causes him to be moved my selfish desires to save everyone.

    Read More

  • The Themes Of Symbols In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist

    771 Words  | 4 Pages

    Paulo Coelho, the author of The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago a Shepard whose life changes once he finds out about a treasure from his frequent dreams and meets a strange man who helps him to start his personal legend. On Santiago’s journey he starts to see the hidden meanings behind daily life creating the thesis that through seeing and understanding symbols behind the world people can learn about their own personal legend and live life to the fullest. Santiago’s life starts out all about his sheep, he chose to be a shepherd, so he could travel and meet new people. Santiago’s job is to take care of the sheep, but the sheep have more meaning in the story. The sheep represent how he is comfortable in his life and how he is questioning his frequent dream, to sacrifice his comfortable life to find this treasure or to continue without taking the risk.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In Among The Hidden

    229 Words  | 1 Pages

    In a book “Among the Hidden” by Margaret Peterson Haddix, symbolism is used to create a powerful feeling with a place or thing. For example, Luke (the main protagonist) was "... always safe and protected by the house and the barn and the woods. Until they took the woods away." (pg. 11) The woods were Luke’s playground where he didn’t have to worry about being seen, his only safeguard and protection from the Population Police.

    Read More

  • Marigolds Symbolism

    848 Words  | 4 Pages

    Marigolds by Eugenia Collier is about a woman named Lizabeth looking back on her past, specifically the moment and things leading up to when she became an adult. “Chaotic emotions of youth” as she calls it are what really lead to the main event and are caused from confusion. In the story she as well as other children don’t understand how something like their neighbor, Miss. Lottie’s, marigolds could be so beautiful amid such a poverty-stricken, dilapidated town.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The Thirteenth Valley By John M. Del Vecchio

    1532 Words  | 7 Pages

    The book The Thirteenth Valley, by John M. Del Vecchio, follows the story of James Vincent Chelini and Alpha Company’s journey to the tree while going under hardship during the Vietnam War. Multiple soldiers from the Oh-Deuce are unfortunate enough to not make it to the tree, or die at the base of the tree. There are multiple symbolism scattered throughout the novel, such as the names of the boonierats, references to the bible, and what the journey to the tree means. The names that the boonierats possess gives an insight of what type of person they are and the impact they have in the book. The main character of the book, otherwise known as James Vincent Chelini, is given the nickname Cherry.

    Read More

  • Individual And Social Issues In The Movie Forrest Gump

    1163 Words  | 5 Pages

    She wanted Forrest to come visit her. Once together Jenny tells Forrest she has a young son named Forrest also. Then Jenny tells Forest that he is the father of the boy. Jenny tells Forrest that she is dying from an unknown disease that doesn’t have a cure and she doesn’t have much time left. So together the three of them move back to Alabama and Forrest and Jenny finally get married.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In Gattaca

    1220 Words  | 5 Pages

    How does Niccol present this world of the ‘not-too-distant-future’? Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca presents an advanced world that seems realistic despite it being set in the “not-too-distant-future.’ The futuristic scene is set in such a way that the society holds elements and aspects of a traditional and mainstream community from the 1990s. Niccols’ inclusion of motifs throughout the film assist in the presentation of the futuristic world in which simple, recurring motifs such as blood and DNA, transport and perfection are used as templates to construct a complex criticism throughout the film.

    Read More

  • The Elephant In The Village Of The Blind Analysis

    695 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although they believed they succeeded, the villagers were unable to fully determine the elephant’s appearance because they could not fully assess the situation; the traveler take advantage of their foolishness, as he believes he already knows the essence of the elephant. Several villagers begin to describe parts of the elephant, based on touch, as “a leather fan,” “a rough, hairy pillar,” “a cool, smooth staff,” and even an “overturned washing tub.” Eventually the villagers conclude “that the elephant was in fact an enormous, gentle ox with a stretched nose. ”(Mays 14)

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Devices In Shooting An Elephant

    716 Words  | 3 Pages

    All of those depictions related to the “immense” crown that had followed the narrator expecting him to kill the elephant. This can be analyzed from his own words: “I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind”. “And he also realizes that to shoot the elephant would be not only unnecessary but quite immoral. But he is not a free agent; he is part of the impartial system (Ingle,

    Read More

  • Symbolism In Between Shades Of Gray By Ruta Sepetys

    552 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the book Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, theme was often showed through symbolism. One of the themes in the story was having hope even when you think there’s nothing left to hope for. This theme was everywhere in the book, because it was showed through symbolism most of the time. For example, in the beginning of Lina’s journey, Andrius finds a gemstone outside one day. He brought it back to train car and passed it around to everyone.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Shooting An Elephant

    836 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the beginning of the essay, the elephant manifests an unbending tantrum. The rampage kills a local man and destroys much of the village. Orwell, by using a tumultuous elephant destroying the village, is a reference to imperialism and its disastrous effects. Orwell writes, “He was lying on his belly with arms crucified and head sharply twisted to one side… (Most of the corpses I have seen looked devilish.)” to show how imperialism’s devastation was the opposite of the initial extension of Britain 's influence through colonization. You can see in Orwell 's writing the diction he uses such as “crucified” and “devilish” in the essay show that the religious influence of imperialism takes a large toll on the culture of the Burmese people and British officers there.

    Read More

  • Internal And External Conflict In George Orwell's Shooting An Elephant

    1926 Words  | 8 Pages

    The theme of this story is pressure in general, as well as peer pressure. In the story the narrator tells himself that he is not going to shoot the elephant. But when he is doubted by the Burmese people and he is surrounded by about two thousand of them, the pressure is on to shoot the elephant. This style leads the readers to able to feel that pressure because in everyday life, people are pressured to do stuff they necessarily do not want to try or do. The story is relatable in the sense that readers can feel the internal conflict

    Read More

  • The Power Of Peer Pressure In George Orwell's Shooting An Elephant

    1480 Words  | 6 Pages

    There are numerous themes in this short story such as British imperialism and colonial resentment however the most prominent theme in this story is fear of humiliation and the effect peer- pressure has on an individual. The setting of Burma helps work with this theme as it provides an area for the plot to take place and develop. After marching miles to the destination of the elephant, a crowd had surrounded George Orwell and encourages Orwell to kill the elephant. George Orwell is compelled to kill the once ravaging elephant due to the fact that Orwell wants to avoid looking like a fool. George Orwell is willing to sacrifice his role of doing the right thing and fulfilling the Burmese wishes in order to save himself from

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Herbal Therapy

    1278 Words  | 6 Pages

    The University of Maryland Medical Center states that Herbal Therapy also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine, refers to using plant’s, seeds, berries, leaves, barks, or flowers for medicinal purposes. Herbalism has a long tradition of use outside conventional medicine. It is becoming more mainstream as improvements in analysis and quality control, along with advances in clinical research, show the value of herbal medicine in treating and preventing diseases. Herbal medicine is a natural, non-toxic way to treat many conditions of ill-health. It is holistic, meaning it treats the whole person, embracing all levels of an individual: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

    Read More

More about An Analysis Of Symbolism In Herbal By Nalo Hopkinson

Open Document