Narrative Essay

There can be no denial of the fact that literature has always been the mirror of the world society. The creative artists have always delved into the intricacies and subtleties of human life and existence so as to portray them in the literary works. The quintessence of portrayal and the aesthetic as well as affective appeal go on to leave a lasting mark in the hearts of the readers who can only revel at the sheer genius of the creative works. Now, one can very well take into reckoning the works of Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Franz Kafka, and Herman Melville to Alice Walker who all bring out the picture of the society through their literary techniques. A close introspection of the works would enable one to have a better understanding of the contextual matter.
Symbolism is one of the most powerful literary elements utilized by the noted authors to bring out the struggles of the characters of the respective narratives with the society. For instance, one finds the use of the symbol of the Stasis House in the novel, Great Expectations. This gothic setting portrayed by Dickens goes on to symbolize the male protagonist, Pip’s perception of the affluent upper class of the society. On the other hand, the wedding dress works as the ironic symbol of Miss Havisham’s gradual decay, while the stopped clocks stand for the attempt to stop time. The crumbling stones of the manor symbolize the decadent lives of the inhabitants of the house. Also, the misty marshes near Pip’s ancestral home symbolize the uncertainty and jeopardies of life. Intriguingly, whenever Pip goes through the mists, he faces something dangerous.
In Jane Eyre, penned by Charlotte Bronte, the red room comes across to be the symbol of what the female protagonist needs to overcome so as to find happiness and freedom. It is inside this room, that her exile and confinement become clear to the readers. Jane remembers the memory of the red room when she is societally ostracized and ridiculed. Her humiliation at Lowood makes her remember her time inside the red room. Thus, the red room symbolizes the continuous struggle of the protagonist against the various impediments that come in her way. She finally finds emancipation and bliss in her financial independence and marriage by the end of the story.
In Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, the picture of the lady in furs serves as the symbolic representation of the former humanity of Gregor. Gregor is attached to the picture so much is due to the reason that he put it up on the wall himself when he was human. As the room is cleaned, he clings to that picture in panic seeing it as the last object from his former self that can still be preserved. Also, the uniform of the father that he wears to work is a symbol of the dignity and the gradual transformation to pity and respect from Gregor’s perspective. Apart from this, food works as the symbol of the family’s emotions toward Gregor and his metamorphosis. While toward the beginning, Gregor would be given food, with time, the family seemed to lose interest in feeding him signifying their loss of attachment. Gregor feels the resentment when he sees the borders eating well. Also, the wound created by the thrown apple seems to contribute to Gregor’s demise.
In Herman Melville’s story about Bartleby, one finds the resonating symbol of the dead letters. These dead letters symbolize the surmounting drudgery of the middle class people of the society. The author focuses on the depressing nature of the work by using this symbol in the course of the narrative. Although Bartleby finds interest in creating letters for some time, he soon stops being able to do that as well. The dead letters come across to be the haunting representation of the struggle of the male protagonist’s life that is being portrayed in the story.
Alice Walker’s novel, The Color Purple, goes on to use the symbol of sewing and quilts that symbolizes with its diverse patterns the coming together of different people to form a unity. The avid readers can find the reimaging of God in the course of the narrative of this novel. Toward the inception of the novel, Celie did not seem to have a very clear idea about God. However, by the end of the novel, she seems to have developed a totally different notion of God. Thus, God works as the symbol of her transformation of being an object of someone else to a free-spirited, independent woman.
Now, one can take into reckoning the works of the stalwart poet, T.S. Eliot who delves into the thematic content of the damaged psyche of the human nature in his poems. He goes on to point to the fragility of mental state of individuals. In Eliot’s view, the society was paralyzed with the culture gradually getting crumbled. The poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock portrays the indecisiveness of the speaker, while The Hollow Men and A Game of Chess show the lack of communication owing to the damaged psyche. These contents can be found to echo the theme portrayed by Herman Melville as he portrayed the character of Bartleby. The drudgery of his life coupled with the lack of communication encompassing his life point to the gradual dysfunction of the society. The story shows Bartleby’s struggle in which he finally loses.
Thus, it would be correct to comment that narratives provide the creative artists to explore the society and the human psyche through the apt use of literary elements and techniques. The quintessence of portrayal of the characters and the thematic contents leave the avid readers to ponder about the grave issues of the society and humanity in general that otherwise go unnoticed. The different approaches of the various authors show the vast boundaries of literature and creative zeal, while their universal appeal and relevance of content prove the vitality in the history of literature and also as a mirror of the society. While the authors delve into the use of different symbols and imageries, they are all successful in portraying their subjects in a powerful manner so as to leave a lasting impression on the minds of one and all.