  Short Stories
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All art is at once surface and symbol.
Those who go beneath the surface do so at their own peril.
Those who read the symbol do so at their own peril.
~Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Condense some daily experience into a glowing
symbol, and an audience is electrified.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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** Image ID #1489790 Unavailable **
Classic Rock
When is a rocking horse just a rocking horse?
In a short story, I humbly submit the answer is: "Rarely, if ever."
Why? In a short story, every word must work extra hard. A book has plenty of room to describe scenery and set the mood, but a story needs to be concise. It must hold tension and drama, fulfill the expectations of the reader, and paint a moving picture in the mind.
Writing a good short story is immensely difficult for most of us. One way to include information readers need (without bashing them over the head with it) is symbolism-a staple of horror writers, and a headache for high school students forced to interpret classic literature.
Many times we place symbols in our work unconsciously, because that's where they come from-that's where they work-the subconscious. A symbol holds an abstract meaning beneath the literal interpretation, which may not be evident on the first read (or even the fourth or fifth.) These signs and clues seep into the brain, where the reader connects them to universal themes and personal experience to find deeper meaning.
Symbolism can be found in an object, a mannerism, a personality trait, or an action; it is not confined to a large glowing cross to broadcast faith. In fact, you, as the writer, are creating the world, so the symbol means what you wish-within reason. If the connotation falls outside "normal" the reader will need to be carefully led in the right direction.
However, symbols work best when the interpretation is multi-layered. We can more fully relate to a symbol which has three components:
1. a universal meaning,
2. a cultural meaning, and
3. a personal meaning to the character.
These reinforce each other, adding depth to the themes expressed.
When writing about death, it is easy to see how a coffin, grave, or headstone might be a universal symbol. From the Neolithic to the present, every person is laid to rest at some point, most often in the earth.
Westerners realize a black hearse means a funeral, but white is more often used as the color of death in the East. If your story takes place in India, a clay pot might be a better choice than a hearse to illustrate death. The setting, then, will impact the cultural interpretation.
The personal interpretation is where you can be creative. What reminds your character/s of death? For some it may be a pack of cigarettes, for others it could be a personal memento of the deceased, or a garland of flowers laid after the bone gathering ceremony.
For H.D. Lawrence, death is a rocking horse.
"The Rocking Horse Winner"
In "The Rocking Horse Winner", Lawrence used a simple toy to demonstrate several themes. This classic story, packed with symbolism, has haunted me for 25 years. If you've never had the pleasure, you can find it online at: http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/rockwinr.html
Today, I see the themes which eluded me in school-the themes which made me grieve for a fictional boy of a different era without understanding why. My subconscious picked up the clues so carefully laid out by Lawrence. Here's my interpretation.
Universally, a horse is a means of conveyance-it transports a person from one place to another. Lawrence's young character, Paul, rides from "unlucky" to "lucky" in order to gain his mother's affection. Historically, a horse has symbolized death-it carried the deceased across the threshold into the other world. The very presence of the horse foreshadows the tragic ending.
The manner in which Paul interacts with the horse holds a personal interpretation. His frenzied riding is an escape from a poor environment, and a "drive" toward the "luck" he thinks will quell the voices that whisper: "There must be more money!"
But Lawrence doesn't stop there. The rocking horse is a cultural take on the loss of childhood innocence. The poor kid rides his toy to find the winner of horse races-not only an adult sport, but one associated with less than savory characters, like his uncle.
Finally, the main theme of the story is greed. Horses have always been expensive, and this one is the finest toy money can buy-money the parents do not have. This interpretation is universal, cultural, and personal.. While the story deals with one family's search for "lucre", as with any great write, there are lessons here for the reader also.
In the end, Paul's self-imposed burden of becoming the "bread-winner" kills him. Lawrence skillfully leads us to conclude the parents are to blame. They are too busy obsessing over money to realize where the child is and what he's doing; they give presents instead of the gift of quality time. Sound familiar?
A single toy explores the ideas of greed, childhood, obsession, escapism, and death. And that's only one of several symbols which reinforce each other, adding depth to this enduring story.
Writing a good short story with a word limit is hard, but not impossible. "The Rocking Horse Winner" packs a creative treatise on culture into a tight package, weighing in at just 6015 words. In 1926, Lawrence set out to remind us of the dangers of greed and apathy. Over eighty years later, the story remains a valid expression of human nature. Great mileage for a little horse, wouldn't you agree?
Rock On!
So, how do you use symbolism in a story? That depends on your genre, theme, personal experiences, and writing style. Symbols should be inserted subtly, because they are powerful shortcuts to larger ideas. Here are some pointers.
 If you're still in the planning stage, think of your theme or moral, and search for symbols which match. Dreams and dream dictionaries are great places to get ideas. For example, mirrors suggest vanity, searching for the "real" person inside, or a way to "save face".
If you're in the midst of a story, look to your "props" and the interactions of the characters. Coffee and tea are commonly used as comfort food. Cold coffee might represent apathy or rejection, while a hot cup of tea could show friendship or acceptance. This all depends on your characters, who usually have their own ideas about what things mean.
Colors are great symbols, although most depend upon culture. Red is the color of human blood; blue mimics the sky; purple was historically reserved for royalty. Again, ask your characters. One might wear a red scarf to flaunt her renewed passion and independence, while another might see a slashed throat in his future. Use setting, mood, plot, and dialogue to reinforce your interpretation of the symbol.
The positions of objects hold meaning also. The top of a mountain is "close to God", while an object in a cave or buried in the earth may be hiding a secret. The following symbols pop up in fiction all the time. Recognize them?
black hat = (head) evil intentions, dark or disordered thoughts
white shirt = (chest) a pure heart or noble intentions
red shoes = (feet) a passion for travel or dance
Write what you know. From the seven directions of Native American cultures to the beauty of Buddhist and Hindu mudras, or hand gestures, a wealth of myth, ritual, and superstition lie inside your ethnicity or religion. Exploring the deeper meaning of things we take for granted yields realistic and enduring "signs of the times".
I hope you are inspired to experiment with symbolism in your short stories. You may find this literary device can:
 add depth to themes and morals
foreshadow the plot
show a character's motivation or growth
enhance the mood and setting
explore themes both mundane and taboo
imply cultural norms without lengthy explanation
free up your word count.
The best part? Since symbolism works on the subconscious mind, readers may continue mulling over the ideas you've introduced for a long time after the last word is digested. They will remember the depth of your work, and come back for more. Who knows? Maybe your story will become a classic!
Common Symbols
These are only my own musings, and by no means a complete list.
Love - the colors red and pink; flowers, especially roses; hearts; any place small enough to snuggle (a bed, bower, loveseat, or nest)
Comfort - shelters (house, cave, hugs); coffee, tea, or other ritual; a favorite chair or blanket; a favorite item or location
Luck -- a pot of gold, sunshine, four leaf clover, rabbit's foot, lottery ticket, horseshoe
Growth - the element of earth and the color green; trees, plants, flowers; a baby or child
Inspiration/Creativity - the element of air; pens and pencils, paints and canvas; musical notes; the head; feathers and other items carried on the breeze, lights
Peace - peace sign (anti-nuke symbol), origami crane, dove, olive branch, rainbow, V-for-victory hand gesture
Death - the colors black, white, or red, depending on your culture; crows, ravens and other birds and animals which travel between realms; cemeteries, graves, and churchyards; a stopped watch/clock
For Further Reference:
Cultural meanings of colors:
http://webdesign.about.com/od/colorcharts/l/bl_colorculture.htm
Dream dictionary:
http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/
Symbols of the world:
http://www.symbols.net/
Religious and occult symbols:
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/blsymbols.htm
Huge database, searchable by alphabet and key words:
http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/index.html
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 Items with Symbolism
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#1482584 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: He began singing. "I'm goin' down to Louisiana to get me a Mojo hand." He pulled a bongo from the sack and started gyrating around the room, beating the drum faster and louder. "I'm gonna have all you pretty women right here at my command."
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#724946 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: The seatbelts slithered around my waist and latched with a musical click of metal against murderous metal. There was no way I was going to escape the pit of her belly, so I fell into a mild coma to spare myself the terror. Of course, I had only traded one nightmare for another.
| |  | A Broken Shell (13+)
The last thoughts of a girl burdened by life as she is about to commit suicide.
#745279 by MKT |
Excerpt: A broken shell, the symbol of a shattered life. How do you mend a broken shell with pieces you can't find?
Excerpt: I saw a hawk dive down and grab some small animal, whose blood trailed to the ground as the hawk climbed higher. The bird was weighed down by its prey. It couldn't hold it any longer. The hawk opened its talons and released the animal. Now free of its heavy burden, it flew free, away, probably to go find another meal.
Excerpt: The lock snapped from the chain in an explosion of rusted metal and secrets. The old lighthouse, still in use, still a symbol of the town's contribution, lay still in the warm morning sun.
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1381301 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: "There is something wrong with this world. I can sense it in the wind. It's a weird feeling, but it's very real. I believe you can feel it too, but won't admit."
Gerard responded with precision. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I want to learn. If you let me in, I can help. Please..."
| | | White Butterfly (13+)
a child chased a butterfly one day in the patch garden then over the fence & into the West
#1264646 by C. E. |
Excerpt: A child chased a white butterfly one day in the patch garden, then over the protective fence and down the lonely road. His little legs, still dimpled with fat, kicked up dirt behind them and his round feet left round tracks, a trail to find his way home again.
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#863889 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: Granddad believed he and the Almighty had a covenant between them. God provided the earth, the weather, and the trees and then Granddad worked his magic on the orchards that sustained the family. Somehow the link between God and the family was your tree, your family tree if you will.
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1248969 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: The canopy bed, the beautiful collection of dolls and the three speed bike were all symbols. Symbols of how her parents adored her and how fortunate they felt to have been blessed with a daughter after years of failed pregnancy attempts.
Excerpt: She bent to kiss her mother's forehead. The skin was cold, taut, lifeless beneath her lips. Like the feet of the frozen Jesus beside the church's altar. She rushed away from the coffin, escaping the pull of finality.
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1477535 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: It was that season. Life was aging. Everything was about to die. Everything was either a mess of orange, yellow, red, and violet or a dull shade of black. Autumn was rushing forward and winter was eagerly awaiting its revengeful return. I thought it was a good season because the fair was coming to town and for my ten years everyone always looked forward to the fair. But the fair is very, very bad. Beware of fair season.
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1475059 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: He crouched, one hand lingering against the tear-streaked cheek of one of his boys - his boys, proprietary, yes, but only in the sense a father might have for one of his own - one of his boys, the one currently curled, broken, within a jagged cleft of rock some forty feet beneath the narrow shaft of golden mote-riddled daylight, deadened down to no more than a semi-lit dim by the distance between there and them.
Submitted Items
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1469060 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: It teases and taunts me as it carries me nearer the door at the end of this horrifying corridor. I must be approaching the bridge by now, where the constant, ritualistic hum of traffic, the insignificant human ritual, mutes the roar of the powerful Beast. Beneath the bridge, the river churns in anticipation of the nearby dam. It gathers speed to make its great leap over the wall, for it is wise. It flees itself.
Excerpt: My feet grope along the slippery path. My hands probe the empty air, searching for some clue to show me the way. Am I heading in the right direction? Should I go to the left? The right? Does the trail go uphill? Or down? Carefully, I feel my way along.
Excerpt: She floated outside time; with no way to measure it or care if it passed. She had no concept of self and therefore no need to clutch at each passing moment or label it; time was meaningless.
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Easy question: What is the symbolism of the picture at the top of the newsletter? The first five people to e-mail me with the correct answer will receive 500 gps.
Next month I wish to discuss setting. If you have a setting that does double duty, or turns into "quite the character", please submit it!
neeneepres297
Since I have joined this site last June, I have been a great fan of this newsletter and I no matter what I will keep publishing my works in here!
I do agree with the fact that short stories have layers to it: plot, exposition, rising and falling action, and the solution. I also believe that a great story cannot be rushed!
On behalf of all the editors, thank you! I agree that stories take time, planning, and a great deal of editing before they are ready for consumption.
Jaye P. Marshall 
This was a very interesting newsletter on metaphors and similes.
I would like to submit this piece of mine for consideration for inclusion in your symbolism edition.
Thanks. Interesting works for me.  Your story is linked above.
Lynn McKenzie
I don't know if this is symbolic or metaphorical. Either way, it definitely has deeper meaning--I think that's fairly obvious, or it should be.
I use any method I can think of to add depth. Symbolism and metaphorical writing certainly help. Research does as well--it makes the setting real.
Great newsletter!
Thank you for your lovely comments, Lynn. I agree that research can only enhance a setting. Unfortunately, newsletter submissions must be rated no higher than 18+. Your story "State of Shock" definitely contains deeper meaning.
francie
Thanks for all the suggestions and illustrations of metaphors and - what is the plural for simile?
Anyhow, this is one of my weak points, so I appreciated this particular newsletter.
I have seen authors get so descriptive, the meaning is lost. Somewhere in the middle lies a story begging to be read.
Similes. I think I know what you mean--pretty words are just pretty words if the reader is not engaged on an emotional level as well as an intellectual level. I appreciate your feedback.
mlarsen05
Something I use to add spice to my stories are unexpected twists. The twist that makes everyone go "gasp!"
I'm fond of the twist myself. Gasping in awe is a reaction writers love to get from their readers--as long as the twist doesn't come from "left field", which can make us feel like we've been cheated.  Thanks for your comments.
Scribble Addict
The grammar check in MSWord hates me. The phrase 'inappropriate verb usage (consider revising)' haunts me. This generally appears when I attempt to create my own similes. All I am attempting to do is make each word work a little harder. Another common rebuke is 'End of sentence preposition (consider revising)' - ? What does this mean and why should I care?
What I am really asking is when, if ever, is it appropriate to ignore the grammar check and forge ahead undaunted? I am dyslexic and I have notice that the wonderful people who give reviews have been known to give conflicting advice. So, do you think we should be slaves to 'correct form' or is it all right to ignore the 'grammar check' if you know something works?
You've answered your own question. Breaking the rules and getting the right effect is creative license. However, if several reviewers consider a phrase "incorrect", it won't hurt to take another look. "End of sentence preposition" is one I also have to work on. It pops up when I write like I talk.
Red Writing Hood <3 
Excellent newsletter, Kimchi 
You are too kind, but I do thank you.
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Short Stories: November 05, 2008 Issue [#2697]
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