Symbolism in Jovita

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Symbolic Parts of “Jovita” Symbolism takes aspects of a story and gives them meaning. A symbol can be a variety of different things in a story that are important or stand out. A symbol can be anything from a heart to a flag or even a person. A symbol can be recognized solely by an individual culture or it can be understood by anyone universally. The story “Jovita” highlights many forms of symbolism. The first main symbol is the protagonist of the story, Jovita. Jovita was a courageous young woman who dressed up as a man to be able to fight in a war for her country of Brazil. “The heroine of our land has set out…to raise the spirits of those who still lack the will to fight, who don’t have our civic pride and aren’t making any effort on behalf of our country”(94). This shows how Jovita was an inspirational symbol to the people of her country. She had enough pride in herself and her people to make an effort to raise their spirits. She was an ideal symbol of bravery and patriotism to them, and they respected her greatly. A conventional symbol in “Jovita” is a massive portrait painted of her by the people of Brazil. “At his request, they were left alone in the large hall of the Palace. He showed her the enormous portrait adorned with garlands of flowers”(95). The portrait symbolizes the honor the people had for Jovita. The portrait is a conventional symbol because it relates to the particular culture of the people in Brazil at that time. Another important symbol in the story “Jovita” is her uniform. The uniform is mentioned many times throughout the story and is a symbol of Jovita’s courage and willingness to fight for her country. The uniform is also a universal symbol of strength and pride in one’s country. Anyone globally can recognize a uniform as an official reminder of their country’s fighters. “Governor, will you loan me some clothes from one of your slaves? I

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