The ancient myth of a phoenix rising from the ashes tells us that if something is destroyed or dead it will inevitably arise from its ashes and reinvent itself. The phoenix myth tells us that there is life after death.Furthermore, the myth has a strong emphasis on reemergence and rebirth. Many people presume that the phoenix myth displays hope and perseverance. In Amy Clampitt’s poem Berceuse we learn that what arises from the ashes is not always peaceful and joyous. Clampitt uses the phoenix myth in comparison to the aftermath of the Holocaust and the Auschwitz death camps.
Within fire there is a paradox of good and evil. Lord of the Flies depicts this as a symbol of hope and destruction. The fire is a source of many things in the novel. Ralph states how the only thing to make ships notice them is if they “make smoke on top of the mountain” (38). Therefore, the fire symbolizes rescue.
the fire metaphorically beating or pulsing like a heart, makes the fire alive. This serves to strengthen the common association of fire with passion, desire and vitality. In line 10, the poet does, however, meet with “l’air froid de nuit”, suggesting that the fire has now been extinguished or burned itself out. This may also be related to a loss of creativity or expressive ability in the poet. Fires are also dynamic; they flicker and erupt into flames but in order to do so require an initial spark.
In the novel, the salamander is the name of their fire trucks, and one of the firemen’s symbols on their uniforms, “But he knew his mouth had only moved to say hello, and then when she seemed hypnotized by the salamander on his arm and the phoenix-disc on his chest, he spoke again” (4). These two symbols are very important for Montag’s view of fire since it shows him how fire can not only have a destructive use but also a helpful controlled use. The phoenix is a symbol for renewal, for life that follows death in a cleansing fire. A phoenix is a mythical bird that, at the end of its five-hundred-year existence, it perches on its nest of spices and sings until sunlight ignites the masses. After the body is consumed in flames, a worm emerges and develops into
“It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed”(1). And in this story it happens all too often. So much so in fact, that after a while the flames do not satisfy the reader and there needs to be symbolism hidden in the blaze or it burns out. Fahrenheit 451 is a novel by the great author Ray Bradbury, and in this synopsis of such, I will explore the elements of symbolism present in the simple inanimate objects existing throughout this story.
The fire burnt Byrons letter, it fuelled Noakes’ steam engine, and caused the great fire at the denouement that both destroyed the house and Thomasina. Stoppard uses this idea of fire as a destructive force to link in another key theme of the play. Regular references and allusions are made to the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the universe is constantly losing heat, and that this will eventually lead to the destruction of everything. This idea is illustrated again when Thomasina mentions the burning of the Lighthouse at Alexandria, where centuries of mathematical proofs and academic works were destroyed in a blaze. The fire at the lighthouse draws a parallel to the fire in the house which killed Thomasina, in that it represents the loss of academic ideas at different points in history.
Russell Tan Intro to Literary Studies Prof. John Burt September 15, 2014 “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” Jarrell's Value of Existence and Natural Life In Randall Jarrell's poem “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner”, the author creates a series of contrasting images that all revolve about the ideals of life and death and the values they can hold to an individual, juxtaposing these images in a sequence of situational comparisons. Jarrell's goal in doing so appears to be the detailing of the true nature of war and all the horror that comes with it, as his portrayal of the series of events the late narrator experienced highlights the danger and sense of isolation that comes with combat and the existence of the individual under the power of “the State”, or the bomber-plane and the idea of a warring nation that it represents. This, when contrasted with the manner in which Jarrell included multiple references to motherly-figures and birth-like experiences, creates the striking discordance the poem is built around, emphasizing the negativity and unnatural essence of the concept of conflict and war as a whole, as well as the nation-state that creates such situations. The divergence between mother figure and “the State” begins in the very first line of the poem, as the author depicts a fall from the former to the latter. The use of the word “fell”, while seemingly innocuous at a glance, actually hints at “the State” being considered less appealing than the mother, as falling usually indicates movement from a higher position to a lower, more detrimental one.
Shelley draws from the characteristics of gothic fiction influenced by The Romantic Movement, through employing sinister connotations that forebode Victor’s downfall, “…the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out…” This portrays the reality that the value of creating life is unattainable, which is furthermore explored in Blade Runner, as Scott presents a world in which technology has eliminated the defining features of humanity. Shelley also alludes to The Promethean Myth and the symbolism of oppressing fire, “…the glimmer of the half-extinguished light…” to emphasise the danger of attaining knowledge beyond accepted boundaries. Shelley’s admonition of excessive knowledge is explored additionally within Blade Runner. Blade Runner is dominated by capitalism and social hierarchy, therefore mirroring the values of the 18th century context of Frankenstein. Scott, influenced by the gothic-novel features in Frankenstein, has employed the style of
White explains that he misses the placidity of a lake in the woods. After that, he decides to take along his son who had never had any fresh water up his nose and who had only seen lily pads only from the train window. Thus, he takes his son to the lake as his father once did for him. At this point he realizes he is not the child anymore, he is the father. E.B White writes about this feeling, “I seemed to be in a dual existence.” White explains one of the episodes of an afternoon thunderstorm.
In the novel, the salamander is the name of their fire trucks, and one of the firemen’s symbols on their uniforms. “But he knew his mouth had only moved to say hello, and then when she seemed hypnotized by the salamander on his arm and the phoenix-disc on his chest, he spoke again.” These two symbols are very important for Montag’s view of fire since it shows him how fire can not only have a destructive use but also a helpful controlled use. The Phoenix symbol has a more drastically effect in Montag’s life. A phoenix is a mythical bird that “at the end of its five-hundred-year existence, it perches on its nest of spices and sings until sunlight ignites the masses. After the body is consumed in flames, a worm emerges and develops into the next Phoenix.” The