Is it in bad taste to point out the symbolism and themes in your own work?

Chase Gamwell

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Diamond

Diamond

Basic
Oct 1, 2014
USA
When I was first introduced to symbolism back in a high school, it really rumpled me. I remember the exact book, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. My teacher was discussing how an owl in the daytime was viewed as a bad omen and how it symbolized the tragedy to come. I was thing WTF? An owl is an owl and nothing more. If it appeared in the daytime, it was either sick or had insomnia. Symbolism is for superstitious idiots.

For years after this high school experience, I had a strong aversion to symbolism. I agreed with Mark Twain, that people looking for symbolism in his books (or anybody else's) ought to be shot. LOL.

Fast forward through the years. God help me, I find myself planting symbolism and catering to certain themes in my own books. Now, here's the question:

Is it pompous or looked down upon when authors discuss the symbolism in their own books?

I'm asking because I'm having the urge to share my reasons for adding certain images to one of my books and why they are symbolic. However, I don't want to tell readers what my book "ought" to mean to them. I want it to mean whatever they think it means. If that makes sense. While discussing symbolism would certainly be a turnoff to some, it might enhance the reading experience for others. So I'm debating with myself. Should I add a little about the symbolism at the back of the book or not?
 
I was actually thinking about putting it at the back of the book. If I'm reading your post correctly, you're thinking that's a bad idea. That's what I wanted to know. Thank you, Carol Rose.

I was kind of expecting that to be the consensus. So I had my next question all prepared. Would it be acceptable to include a link at the back of the book to the blog post on symbolism? I'd label it something like, Bonus Material For Those Who Enjoy Symbolism.
 
I'm not sure what kind of a book you're writing, but if it's fiction, it does not belong in the STORY. Not unless you have a character discussing it. ;) As for something written outside of the story that explains it, perfectly acceptable IMHO. Hope this clears up what I meant. :)
 
By 'back of the book', I mean it would be separate from the story. It would sit where a glossary normally goes. But now I'm leaning toward the link to a blog option instead.
 
Yes, I've seen several "writers notes" that discuss topics introduced in the body of the book. Most of what I've seen have been explanations of science or history, but I see no problem with using it for themes and symbols as well. I agree, not the body of the book, but anything else, I say go for it :)
 
I'm back y'all! I agree with Nicole and Carol — it would be okay to show the reader, by having a character solve a mystery, like,
"So that was the meaning behind the mystery of-"
Just don't tell them as the author, like hey check out how effing clever I am guys.

I do A LOT with symbolism. I go so far as to utilize classical symbolism of dreams to give insights into how a character might be feeling before they consciously realize it, or even prophesize what happens later in the book, in a very hidden sort of way. I will use colors as symbolism, weather, but it's all in an effort to dangle a huge twist ending in the reader's face for several books before revealing that I was hinting at it the whole time.

So the idea of giving away your own symbolism at the end of the book to me sounds insane. Like, give the readers a chance to figure it out for themselves first! Someone will, and thanks to the internet it will get around to the rest. Just look at "Game of Thrones theories" if you have any doubt. Readers LOVE to try to guess what you really meant, what happens next. That's the whole reason we dangle clues — to give them something to do, to think about, after they put the book down. To have it suddenly come to them on their drive to work a week later and they almost run over a mailbox.

I didn't do that, just so you know.
 
Heh, when I discovered symbolism, I went crazy with it. I remember in my American Literature class in college, we had, as an exercise, to write a Modernist poem. Modernist poetry used a LOT of references and symbols. I went nuts with it. My professor told me he didn't get it half my references. That's right, I was so obscure *he* didn't even get it.

I try not to be THAT obscure these days. There's no point in writing a story if you're the only one who gets it. (I'm looking at you, James Joyce . . . )

So, yeah, clue them in.
 
Jason Byrne said:
I'm back y'all! I agree with Nicole and Carol — it would be okay to show the reader, by having a character solve a mystery, like,
"So that was the meaning behind the mystery of-"
Just don't tell them as the author, like hey check out how effing clever I am guys.

I do A LOT with symbolism. I go so far as to utilize classical symbolism of dreams to give insights into how a character might be feeling before they consciously realize it, or even prophesize what happens later in the book, in a very hidden sort of way. I will use colors as symbolism, weather, but it's all in an effort to dangle a huge twist ending in the reader's face for several books before revealing that I was hinting at it the whole time.

So the idea of giving away your own symbolism at the end of the book to me sounds insane. Like, give the readers a chance to figure it out for themselves first! Someone will, and thanks to the internet it will get around to the rest. Just look at "Game of Thrones theories" if you have any doubt. Readers LOVE to try to guess what you really meant, what happens next. That's the whole reason we dangle clues — to give them something to do, to think about, after they put the book down. To have it suddenly come to them on their drive to work a week later and they almost run over a mailbox.

I didn't do that, just so you know.
Click to expand...

Welcome back, been gone myself!
 
There are hugely symbolic things in my books too, some I will say outright as I feel that the issues I am symbolising in my book should never be forgotten. I will likely wait until asked but yeah I'll be telling whatever there is to tell.
 
From what I've read so far, the degree of symbolism you need to disclose would depend on the book. If it is a fantasy with witchcraft or sorcery, you may want to disclose some of it, but through a character. If the author is asked specifically about it, then discuss it, otherwise you'd put lots of literature teachers in High School and College out of a job.

I'm a fan of "Back to School". There is a part where the older character has to write a report on something by Kurt Vonnegut. He pays Kurt Vonnegut to write the report and gets an "F". The teacher said, "You obviously haven't read it." The point being that people outside will have lots of fun trying to explain all the symbolism and argue with their colleagues about what something means or what a particular author meant by the way he said something. I hated that part of English in school. I always believed that the author said something a certain way because that was the best (or the coolest) way for him to say it at the time he wrote it.

I don't know, but aren't characters amalgams of groups of people? Someone who you can point to and say "this group is just like that character"? Doesn't that make our characters symbols?

Maybe I'm all wet and should just stay out of it.
 
In the end, everybody probably gets something slightly different out of a story, regardless of the author's intentions. And if what they get out of it isn't enjoyable [whatever that means], then the book hasn't worked, regardless of clever symbolism. I'm not anti-clever symbolism, not at all, it's just that the primary function of a story is to entertain, not to impress with clever symbolism, no?
 
Marc Joan said:
In the end, everybody probably gets something slightly different out of a story, regardless of the author's intentions. And if what they get out of it isn't enjoyable [whatever that means], then the book hasn't worked, regardless of clever symbolism. I'm not anti-clever symbolism, not at all, it's just that the primary function of a story is to entertain, not to impress with clever symbolism, no?
Click to expand...
True. But half the time you don'the realise what you've written is symbolic until after the fact. At least that's my experience.
 
Cocaine luvvie (Scottish word (one of many) for cocaine)

Basically commenting on the trippy nature of the "symbolic" post ;)
 
Marc Joan said:
Phew. Better than the urban dictionary definition [for Jason - 'ching' apparently means bad diarrhoea, in the world of hoodies and spliffs]
Click to expand...
HAhahahahahaaaaaaaa! OMG Now I get your reaction!

In Scotland we call someone doing cocaine as on "the ching" I mean we have a gazillion other terms for it as with everything else, but that's a common one.
 
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Chase Gamwell

Kepler discovers object orbiting distant star...send Sci Fi geeks into a frenzy :D

  • Chase Gamwell
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J

Help! Been away for about three years, my old account is gone!

  • JamieLoddesol
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