11/13/19 Kevin Zou Period 5

11/13/19

Kevin Zou #33

Period 5 Sophomore 2020

Aim: What are the major symbols in Macbeth and how do they create allusions and connections?

Do Now: On paper/digitally, write a note to your neighbor using only images. Trade notes to see if you can understand one another without speaking. 

• Mark talked about drawing simple things to convey ideas. This comment implied how complex ideas are hard to express.  
• Danielle related back to what Mark said about drawing basic images. Her partner wasn’t very good at drawing; she made an insightful comment on how the interpretation of the images depends on the person.
• Riya talked about drawing symbols that she can associate meanings with.
• Stephanie and Michelle C. mentioned an inside joke they can associate the symbols with. 
• Nour, Michelle Z., and Julia all used different emojis to show ideas and emotions.
• Meghan was trying to convey her hunger through symbols. 

Symbols:

• represent tangible and intangible things
• sparked the beginning of communication
• hieroglyphics → foundation of reading and writing 

Ms. Fusaro went into how dreams are the epitome of communicating complex ideas through images. To demonstrate this concept, she asked the class to associate images with freedom. Ms. Fusaro then told us to draw an image of a tree and compare it with our groupmates. As we found, most of the trees we drew were similar. The purpose of this activity is to show how different backgrounds of people can influence their interpretations of signifiers. For example, our class mostly drew American sweetgum trees, evergreen trees, and leafless trees. This outcome could be explained by our similar experiences growing up in America. On the other hand, someone from the Carribeans will more likely draw palm trees in response to the signifier.

signifier (word) → signified (symbol) 

complex ideas → shaped by background/experiences → influenced signified images 

Interpretation of symbols → different ideas 

Example: freedom → eagle, the Statue of Liberty, map of the country, the American flag

• All of the people's signified responses to the signifier word freedom were very similar as we are all American citizens. 

Pair Share 

Define “allusion” Discuss any allusion you’ve noticed in Macbeth thus far. Why are allusions significant? Why would an author choose an allusion over an explicit statement? 

• Allusions are indirect references to something historical, literary, or political. They are significant because they can help us better understand an intricate message in literature. That being said, an author would choose an allusion over an explicit statement because an allusion is more impactful than blatantly saying a message.

A theme isn’t an allusion (universal statement) and a motif isn’t an allusion (specific to its own work). 

Shaina referenced how the conch is a motif in Lord of the Flies. She then talked about how a biblical allusion in Macbeth was Adam and Eve. Similarly, Ms. Fusaro voiced how the serpent mentioned in Macbeth symbolizes the devil. Mark inquired about if an allegory is an allusion. Ms Fusaro cleared up this question by specifying that a group of allusions is an allegory.

Macbeth Symbolism Breakdown

Devil → any temptation

Elemental symbols → create and/or destroy (too much → destruction)

Water → baptism

• people are born with the original sin of Adam and Eve → water symbolically washes you of sins

Blood/Red → sins/passion → “crimes of passion”

White → purity/innocence

• brides wear white (American culture focused)

Crow/raven → night and darkness (death warning) 

Milk → nurture and femininity

Serpent → biblical imagery of devil 

Light/Dark → good and evil 

Three → supernatural (Holy Trinity)

• other examples: "body, mind spirit", triangle (strongest shape), the three Estates of France, basis of time

Day → lifespan

• morning to childhood, afternoon to adulthood, night to elderhood)

Witches → temptation (offers information and prophecies to Macbeth) 

• If Macbeth never knew about the prophecies, would he have done everything he did?

Sleep → “little death”

• time cycle → life cycle (you'll never see yesterday)

Student Reflection: 

• To summarize the main points of today’s lessons, we discussed the importance of symbolism and allusion in Macbeth and how they can help us gain a deeper meaning of the events in the play. Specifically, they can help us understand the motives behind the character’s actions and the author’s messages. All of these ideas could be hard to convey through words. Therefore, these complex ideas are often conveyed through images (symbolism and allusions) that are shaped by the author's and readers’ cultural background and experiences.