  Short Stories
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The purpose of this newsletter is to help the Writing.com short story author hone their craft and improve their skills. Along with that I would like to inform, advocate, and create new, fresh ideas for the short story author. Write to me if you have an idea you would like presented.
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The Symbol of Earth
In this last newsletter installment covering the symbolism of elements, I'll cover earth. In many languages and cultures, there is a belief in the "mother" earth. Earth represents nourishment and fertility. The concept of "mother" is she is unifying and gives a sense of belonging. It encompasses all the other elements and keeps them in balance. Earth nourishes the "tree of life".
Animals, the Egyptian scarab, the Asian elephant, a Japanese koi, or a serpent sometimes symbolizes Earth Another symbol is the turtle, which is believed to carry the earth inside its shell.
In a more physical sense, earth (the grave) is where most of our bodies end up. It is finality. A grave, a hole, or a cave can be the end of your character, a plot line or a scene. Blowing dust, dirt or sand can signal upcoming disaster. It can block vision and shield the sunlight. Dirt under fingernails can be a sign of someone wise and in touch with the cycle of seasons, or someone who has ended something. A smudged face can show a character has been through a trial.
A character falling to the ground crying can show their need to get in touch with reality, or their need of security and comfort. Being out in nature can show a time of fertility and life. Walking, putting miles under a character's feet can show a change of "place", of where they belong.
When writing or editing your story, think about the images you'd like to project within your plot and the emotions of your characters. Would using earth as a symbol strengthen your image? What other symbols of earth have you used?
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Take a moment to enjoy these stories.
Excerpt: I’m the loner. The one the neighbors see, but look away, afraid I might speak. That is if they even see me at all. Apparently, I am invisible to society. I blend. I am neither describable nor memorable. Oh, but the acts I do are talked about all around town.
Excerpt: The coyotes lived close by in the ravine which ran from the north end, cutting across Ray and Dorothy’s property to the south. The pack had been religious about their nightly howling for almost two years now. Except for their ritual and the faint laughter that would be carried by an evening breeze, it was quiet and peaceful. The couple felt they were the only two people on the earth.
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Excerpt: The first snowflake settled gently to the windowsill. Jonathan, his head resting in his hands, watched as it melted into a small droplet of water. More snowflakes followed and he knew, staring out the window, that it wouldn’t be long before the ground was covered. All the other kids would be out playing in it and he would be stuck here inside. It wasn’t fair. It never snowed in central Alabama. This was the first time he could remember in the eight long years of his life.
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Excerpt: Jim knew he looked disheveled when he arrived, so he came in the lab's back entrance, past the animal cages. It seemed as though the chimps and orangutans knew what he'd done the night before, knew of his indiscretion; they stared at him mournfully, eyes wide and dim, as he trudged past. "You don't know me," he hissed at them, then quickly shut his mouth.
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Excerpt: When they saw Thomas, they grinned at each other. Unshaven, fat, middle-aged tourists sporting pony tails and gold earrings are not a common sight in Morocco. One of the players got to his feet and addressed Thomas in French. Thomas pretended not to hear, and the man laughed pleasantly. "Don't worry, sir," he said in English. "I only asked how you are finding my country."
Excerpt: “You’d better stay off that lily pad,” somebody yelled as Dolly sat down to rest. She barely had time to fly up before the red tongue of a huge frog shot up out of the water and took a swipe at her.
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Excerpt: The horizon was a flat, sharp line of blue against blue. All that water, for as far as the eye can see, and a hell of a lot farther. Three quarters of the planet drowned in it. Now that it was finally feasible - no, easy - to separate it into its component parts, water was the most abundant, totally renewable energy source available to the human race. It should have been mankind’s salvation, Tucker mused, as he stood on the beach, bent over and panting, and looked out at the still surface where, a couple of hours ago, his ship had been sunk.
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Excerpt: He sat across from a pretty thirty-something brunette with expressive caramel-colored eyes. She wore a tan high-collared furry coat, a style Wallace recognized, but damned if he knew its name. Fashion was usually the least of Wallace’s concerns, his own outfit – a black Kmart sweater and Wrangler blue jeans – confirming as much.
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This month's question: What natural elements are your favorites to use in writing?
Last month's question: What other symbols of air could be used in writing?
No replies.
Responses:
diamond_hoop: First, thanks for the unexpected plug of "Invalid Item" . Second, thanks for the informative reminder. Most of us know these symbols instinctively - products of our culture - yet we writers too often forget to utilize these tools. Yours is a timely whisper to the subconscious, awakening those dormant instincts.
Realist101  : Hi there, this is a greatly informative letter, I am impressed with your interaction with us writers. On other sites, I have not seen this.? I will try to submit something asap...thanks for this trial subscription...Susan
Thanks Susan, and the subscriptions to all the newsletters are always free. Enjoy!
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Short Stories: January 20, 2010 Issue [#3510]
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