Communication is a very important tool for our everyday life. The human race, since the days when no language had developed, knew the significance of communication. They used it to pass important information about their culture using wall drawings and to this day, we can use those wall drawings to visualize their lives. Writing is one way that authors can use to communicate to their readers and share their emotions (Watson 56). Authors employ different themes and symbolism to bring out ideologies and to capture our imagination. This paper will focus on the themes from a variety of novels and see how their authors used them and what they mean in the modern society.
Themes
- The value of humanity
In this novel, Harry Potter, the main character, expresses humility. Several instances of great heroism and ability to do remarkable things that impress even the more experienced wizards do not pump him with pride; he maintains composure through it all, unlike a few characters that chase the admiration and praise of others. Below are just a few examples of humility.
- After living in cruelty and neglect for ten years under Dursely, Harry Potter finds himself with fame, popularity and wealth. In one episode, Harry Potter is traveling on a train and to his surprise; all the passengers know him and are familiar with his gifts. This acknowledgement only pushes the young boy to deliver and push to his limits. His good character did not waver even with the change in his status; he remained humble and never bragged about it.
- The other occasion where Harry expresses humility is when he discovers that he has the gift of Quidditch (Rowling 43). He does not glory in his new supernatural ability but rather uses that opportunity to become industrious so as to improve his power.
- When Harry Potter breaks the record of catching the Quiddich in less than five minutes, he does not stand to glory in the admiration of the crowd; His ability to be modest at all times wins him a lot of friends and admiration.
- Rebellion-Occasional necessity
Over the course of the book, Harry Potter and his friends engage in many activities that break the strict rules in their school. Harry Potter is ready to break any rule that goes against his beliefs. Although it was indicated in the novel by J.K Rowlings that the rules were meant to protect the students, Harrys actions that warranted breaking this rules were mostly heroic. This decisive nature of Harry potter made him clash with authorities often; however, Harry Potter accepted the consequences of his actions, which meant that he only had good intentions. It is therefore important to note that Harry Potter does not break the rules simply for the sake of breaking them; rather, he does it to protect himself and those who are around him. This selfless nature leads him to disobey Madam Hooch during his flying lessons when he chases after Malfoy in order to recover Neville’s Remembrall, a gift she had received from her grandmother.
- The desire for power
There is a distinct difference between Harry Potter and Voldemort. Voldemort uses his magic in a bid to gain absolute power and to rein terror over Britain, this is what drives him to look for the sorcerer’s stone. His thirst for terror finally leads to his downfall. On the other hand, Harry Potter is modest and his pure nature does not allow him to use his power for glory, the only thing he seeks is to have the company of his lost parents. His pure heart and his lack of desire for power is what gives him the ability to retrieve the sorcerer’s stone from the mirror of Erised. Another character that did not chase power was Professor Dumbledore, despite his great supernatural powers and the fact that he was the only wizard that Voldemort was not afraid of, he did not chase power, and rather taught young people to use their powers for a positive course.
Symbolism
J. K Rowlings uses various forms of symbolism to bring out different themes and traits of different characters. These symbols bring out a deeper meaning in various episodes in the novel and enhance the richness of the literature work.
- Harry’s Scar
Harry’s scar was a battle wound, which he got after the various battles he had fought; it becomes a badge of honor. At first, he did not think much of the scar, but when the story wasretold; its significance was brought forth. The scar represented Harry’s connection to Voldemort and his parents’ death. It forces people to connect with Harry Potter based on the prophesythat was given of his rise.
- Quidditch
This is a game played by wizards. Players were supposed to catch a ball(the snitch) and prevent it from going to their side of the field. This game was played between the houses in the school. It was used to enforce values such as teamwork and was a source of pride for the house that was victorious.
- The Mirror of Elised
The mirror of Elised showed a person’s deepest desire and also housed the sorcerer’s stone, the only way to acquire the sorcerer’s stone from within the mirror was to desire for it without having the desire to use it for selfish gains. The mirror symbolizes self-awareness and shows that a person’s character is defined by their desires.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The book tells a story of a community which was under strict control. There was no suffering, hunger or war, there was also no love, music or color. The society was controlled by a group of ‘elders’ who were seen by everyone in a positive light. Jonas, a boy in the community was chosen to be the communities ‘receiver’. This made him the custodian of the community’s memory of pain, sadness, war and the truths of the real world. Jonas discovered that this seemingly utopian community is more dystopian than he was led to believe. The novel highlights his journey to find reality and true happiness.
Themes
- The Importance of Memory
The fact that the elders chose to give the community’s memory to one person so that they could help in making decisions shows that they also knew its significance despite the fact that they never wanted anyone else to have it. The elders also agreed that without memory, people were bound to repeat previous mistakes.
- The dangers of stability and predictability
The community established the ideology of Sameness. This meant that people were not exposed to the dangers that came with variations and bad choices. The communities desire to be safe comes at a steep price. They were derived the ability to make decisions and everything that they did was directed by the elders. The elders longing for predictability led them to instruct the people to kill the youngest of all identical twins. The absence of pain denies the community a chance to experience happiness and have any feelings of love. This ideology of Sameness stunts the development of the community.
- Importance of emotions
Symbols
- The New child Gabriel
Baby Gabriel is a symbol of hope in a society, which had been stunted and represented a new beginning for the society. The child was set to be released (killed) by his parents due to the strict rules imposed by the elders. Jonas decided to take the child with him so that the child could have a second chance in life. This also justified the Jonas’ rebellion against the elder and showed the negative side of the community’s principles and ideologies.
- The Sled
The sled symbolizes the journey to rediscovery. During his training, Jonas was told by the giver that the sled slowing down symbolized the difficulties that he faced. At the end of the novel, Jonas finally found a real sled. This symbolizes his accomplishment in overcoming the grasp of the society. The sled signifies a new world full of reality and true emotions.
- The River
The river ran between the communities and symbolized the boundary between the advantages and disadvantages of Sameness. The death of Caleb by drowning in the river showed that life was unpredictable and any efforts of controlling it were in vain.
Conclusion
Literature has for a long time used tic communicate information to the society through the perspective view of the author. The literature work is usually a reflection of the happenings of the society. Hence, they serve a very critical role in reminding the residence of the importance of abiding to the societal roles that many individuals have since drifted away as they emulate other norms, traditions and practices of foreign cultures. The above literary works are important in understanding certain aspect of the society. The authors have built their ideas using different stylistic devices with an aim at tackling certain issue in the society. The books contain moral teachings that can help us interact with different people in the society and live harmoniously together despite our different views and ideologies. In essence, the role of literature in disseminating information and moral teachings to the society of today cannot be overlooked and needs to be fostered more so as to build a reading culture; broaden our perspective view of eminent issues in the society; preserve good cultural attributes and promote peaceful co-existence.
On the contrary, there are authors who utilize their lingual and writing skills to promote false inform or personal views that are misleading in other to achieve personal interest. There is need for the governing bodies involved with giving copy-write and licenses to media publication to prevent such propaganda or insightful information from getting to the public domain.
Works cited
Harry Potter and the sorceror's stone, by J.K. Rowling. Sunnyvale, Calif: Shmoop University, 2010. Print.
Lowry, Lois. The giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. Print.
Watson, Greg. The State of Stylistics: Pala 26. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2008. Print
