LITERARY ELEMENTS IN LITERATURE: SYMBOLISM, ALLUSION & IRONY SAN MARCOS HIGH SCHOOL 12 TH GRADE ENGLISH TEAM

SYMBOLISM The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

FOR EXAMPLE:

ALLUSION Allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers.

EXAMPLES OF ALLUSION

ALLUSION IN SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE “But lying on the black ice there, Billy stared into the patina of the corporal’s boots, saw Adam and Eve in the golden depths. They were naked. They were so innocent, so vulnerable, so eager to behave decently. Billy Pilgrim loved them.”

IRONY a situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that seems to be the opposite of what you expected

EXAMPLE OF IRONY

IRONY IN SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE "She had never been to war before.... Her name was princess.” (Referring to the war dog in chapter 3)

IRONY IN SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE "'You needn't worry about bombs, by the way. Dresden is an open city. It is undefended, and contains no war industries or troop concentrations of any importance"' (Vonnegut 146). (Chapter 6)

IT’S EMOTICON TIME! Check out a few emoticons and share what they mean in your world. Think about these questions as you go:emoticons (1)What does the smiley represent? Is the meaning literal or inferred? (2)How is a particular smiley a universal symbol? (3) How does the emoticon change in meaning based on the conversation or situation? (4) Can an emoticon be ironic? How? (5) Can an emoticon be an allusion?

FOR EXAMPLE: MY EMOTICON

(1)What does the smiley represent? Is the meaning literal or inferred? My emoticon represents happiness. This is literal because you smile when you are happy. (2)How is a particular smiley a universal symbol? My emoticon is universal, because people all smile when they are happy. (3) How does the emoticon change in meaning based on the conversation or situation? This emoticon can change depending on the situation. For instance, people can smile with joy, or they can smile when they are trying to hide tears. (4) Can an emoticon be ironic? How? This emoticon can be ironic, because some people put on a smile when they are mad. For instance, Mrs. Cooper may smile when a student asks how they can raise their grade 30 points the day that grades are due. She’s not really happy. She’s actually sad but smiles out of disbelief. (5) Can an emoticon be an allusion? Yes. A smiley can refer to a time when things were happy rather than sad. For example, a family may look at a smiley and be reminded of a time that they were all together, when now, they are sad because someone has passed away.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: 1)Choose a scene in Slaughterhouse Five. 2)Choose an emoji that describes this scene. 3)Answer the questions on the following slide. ***You will be graded on the accuracy of your answers and your ability to think outside of the box.

(1)What does the smiley represent? Is the meaning literal or inferred? (1)How is the particular smiley a universal symbol? (3) How does the emoticon change in meaning based on the conversation or situation? (4) Can an emoticon be ironic? How? (5) Can an emoticon be an allusion? Explain.