In Thomas C. Foster’s best-selling book, How to Read Literature like a Professor, readers learn about symbols used to tell a deeper story and enrich a theme. Foster employs his lengthy experience as a teacher and avid reader to enlighten readers about how to recognize and decode cryptic, “between-the-lines” writing. Likewise, he also identifies several key phrases and messages to search for within text. These flags may be related to setting, plot, or characters, but can be analogous to moods, biblical tales, and mythological entities. For example, Foster discusses how most works have political undertones, represented through different symbols and objects. In addition, he mentions the importance of season and its repercussions on mood and characterization.
…show more content…
Old Major, who is the elder of the barn, depicts his Marxist views, christened “Animalism,” to the rest of the animals in early March. March, being the beginning of springtime, has several obvious connections to new life and rebirth, such as trees sprouting leaves and flowers blooming. The connection here is the seed of Animalism sprouting and beginning to grow mentally, as shown by the animals several meetings over the three months of spring. June, the beginning of summer, came along, by which time the ideas and philosophies for animal independence had shown full maturity, as do crops which successfully germinate and bury their roots. On one day in June, the animals show their cultivated beliefs and successfully execute their revolution. Just as it appears the animals’ philosophy is idealistic, Napoleon, one of the leaders, expels Snowball, another leader, from the farm. As the corruption takes over the farm, winter approaches. Hardship and demise are themes associated with winter as elaborated, “The stormy weather was followed by sleet and snow, and then by a hard frost which did not break till well into February… They were always cold, and usually hungry as well” (Animal Farm 29). Orwell continuously matches the plot and mood with the season, with spring meaning new beginnings, summer showing maturity, fall having a test of
Old Major, who is the elder of the barn, depicts his Marxist views, christened “Animalism,” to the rest of the animals in early March. March, being the beginning of springtime, has several obvious connections to new life and rebirth, such as trees sprouting leaves and flowers blooming. The connection here is the seed of Animalism sprouting and beginning to grow mentally, as shown by the animals several meetings over the three months of spring. June, the beginning of summer, came along, by which time the ideas and philosophies for animal independence had shown full maturity, as do crops which successfully germinate and bury their roots. On one day in June, the animals show their cultivated beliefs and successfully execute their revolution. Just as it appears the animals’ philosophy is idealistic, Napoleon, one of the leaders, expels Snowball, another leader, from the farm. As the corruption takes over the farm, winter approaches. Hardship and demise are themes associated with winter as elaborated, “The stormy weather was followed by sleet and snow, and then by a hard frost which did not break till well into February… They were always cold, and usually hungry as well” (Animal Farm 29). Orwell continuously matches the plot and mood with the season, with spring meaning new beginnings, summer showing maturity, fall having a test of