Autobiography

# ## Writing is used for many things, to express feelings, to explain things, or just for fun. When writing authors use many different techniques to do these things. Among these are foreshadowing, metaphors, similes and symbolism. I believe symbolism is a great way to explain, or go about in story. Symbolism is the use of an object to represent something or someone else. Symbolism is used often in stories such as "Rip Van Winkle", Young Goodman Brown" and "The Black Cat".

Symbolism is often used in Rip Van Winkle. Rip van winkle represents America in the story. He represents America because at this time Americans don't know what it is it say "I am an American", America is unsure of its identity just as Rip is unsure of his. Rip states that he is unsure of his identity when he says, "ii am not myself, and I am someone else".

Crossing the Rip Van Winkle Bridge eastbound in up...

Old Rip Van Winkle

Jefferson as the old Rip Van Winkle, 1896

Rip is unsure of his identity because a lot of incidents happened that cause him to believe this, such as his "20-year sleep" or him having a "long beard". Americans also went through a lot of things; they went through a war they are now independent and they also have a new leader. Lots of things are new for Rip, like a "new town flag", just as Americans also have a new flag to represent them. On the other hand Mrs. Van winkle represents England. The english government were very pushy and very mean to people, just as Mrs.. Van Winkle was also pushy and mean towards Rip. Mrs. Van Winkle would "henpeck" Rip. The American people didn't like the English government, just as Rip didn't like Mrs.. Van Winkle. Rip stated that he didnt like Mrs. Van Winkle when he would "role his eyes and shake his head ", whenever her name was mentioned. Rip was glad that Mrs. Van Winkle was no longer around, just as Americans were glad that the English government was no longer around.

"Young Goodman Brown" also uses lots of examples of symbolism. In this story one symbol that was evident to me was the "walking stick" with the snake shape symbolizes evil. When Young Goodman brown goes into the forest and meets the "old man" who carries the walking stick, he is meeting the devil himself. The walking stick is the symbol of evil that Young Goodman Brown is so close to being part of, when he is offered the stick. Young Goodman Brown is told by the "old man" that he can take the stick if he is "so weary". This says that his faith is only going to tire him and that if he were to take the stick, thereby accepting evil, things would be better for him. Another example of symbolism in this story is his wife "Faith" and her "pink ribbons". Her name represents his faith in god, which is staying at home as he as he goes into the evil mission into the forest. Her "pink ribbons lying in the wind" represents the purity and the faith in god in her home with the evilness and hell of the world.

edgar Allan Poe also uses symbolism in the story "The Black Cat" to show the way his character feels.one symbol that was obivous to me was the name of his cat "pluto" .hades had a cat named "pluto". this represented evilness towards his cat. pluto is also like the planet "pluto" which is the weirdest ,coldest and ugliest planet, this planet has no light shining on itmaking it look like a bad planet. pluto represents this ugly planet. poe right away shows that cats are disliked by hi character. another symbol in this story is that he sees a "gallow" on Pluto. the gallow on pluto represents his death which is coming to Poe's character.

Life size bronze of Rip Van Winkle sculpted by Ric...

English: Illustration for Washingtion Irving's sho...

Illustration for "The Black Cat" by Aubrey Beardsl...