Arushi Lakhan-Pal
Priya Dixit
Drew Guggeis
Kelly Tan
Sophia Hwang
Balzac Symbolism Project
Loss: Ticks Away
Symbol: Rooster Alarm Clock
“We were surprised to see how the alarm clock seized the imagination of the peasants. It became an object of veneration, almost. Everyone came to consult the clock, as though our house on stilts was a temple”(14).
“In the end we had changed the position of the hands so many times that we had no idea what the time really was” (15).
The symbol of the alarm clock illustrates the theme of loss through its usage and perception throughout the novel. Luo and the narrator keep the the alarm clock and manipulate the time in order to keep any amount of power they can over their own lives despite the losses they have faced. The alarm clock is one of the few last links to their past, and is used as a coping mechanism for the difficulties they must face.
Symbol: Lice
“I had a vision of my body as a rallying ground for armies of lice, all thrilled at the change of diet, ravenous for the delights offered by my poor veins” (71).
“It was not hard to imagine the scene : the bug-infested bed upon which Four-Eyes lay, fighting to stay awake in case the old man happened to sign snatches of sincere, authentic folk songs in his sleep, while the lice swarmed out of their hiding places to attack in the dark, sucking his blood skating on the slippery lenses of his spectacles, which he hadn’t removed for the night” (65).
The recurring motif of the lice represents the gnawing and draining effect of loss on the main characters and their companions. After enduring the hardships of the mountain village, the parasitic lice represent the sapping effect of re-education and the attendant sense of loss. The omnipresent lice exacerbate their situation in life, injuring them and needling them. Just as the lice are reduced to draining the blood of Luo, Four Eyes, and the narrator, they are forced to make the most situation by any means necessary.
I think the way you explained the symbolism of the clock, made it easier for readers to understand what the author was trying to convey.
ReplyDeleteI like the quotes you used, I would have thought of using the symbol of lice. Very creative!
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting to me that you connected the clock to loss. That was a new way of looking at it that I had not even considered.
ReplyDeleteYour insight on the lice is really well thought out and connects with the recurring theme of loss. I think it is hard for readers to pick this small detail up, but you managed to do it very well.
ReplyDeleteYour insight on the lice is really well thought out and connects with the recurring theme of loss. I think it is hard for readers to pick this small detail up, but you managed to do it very well.
ReplyDeleteYour connection between the lice and loss is something I've never thought of before, and definitely supports the never-ending feeling of loss.
ReplyDeleteWhat will happen when the alarm clock breaks?
ReplyDeleteI liked how you were able to link the rooster alarm clock and lice together to loss. I did not think about relating lice to loss.
I thought it was interesting how you connected something seemingly small and insignificant to the bigger picture. The lice showed that you were really considering the story as a whole and all the aspects that played into it.
ReplyDeleteThe lice showing loss is an interesting deduction which adds to the novel. Could the lock have represented anything else as well?
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared lice to the idea of loss, I wouldn't have thought of that, maybe because lice are kinda gross, god job. :)))))
ReplyDeleteHow does lice also relate to coming of age? It could show that as people mature, they will have to endure hardships and persevere to reach their goals.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you connected the alarm clock to the characters' loss.
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