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Raven and Crow Symbolism
What does the raven symbolise in art and literature? Also, how do different cultures view ravens, and how are ravens different from crows?
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The Symbolism Of Trees In Stories
Trees in storytelling are symbolically interesting. Some trees have unusual characteristics (distinctive foliage, unusual flowering patterns). These are the trees most heavily mined for their symbolic meaning across culture and therefore narrative.
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What do floods symbolise in literature?
Think of a famous flood. You’ll likely think of Noah and his Ark from the Old Testament. We’ve never stopped telling stories about floods, in all kinds of stories across the ages.
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What do butterflies symbolize in literature?
If you grew up in the West, butterfly symbolism may seem obvious: Butterflies symbolize transition and transformation. This isn’t always so.
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Symbolism of Hands
Whenever you’re watching a documentary which anonymises its subjects, the camera often tips down to emphasise the hands. What are the hands doing? Picking at fingernails? In a tight grip? Relaxed and open? This close up on the hands is clearly meant to say something about emotional affect. It’s also interesting to take a look […]
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Symbolism of Green
What does green symbolise in art and storytelling?
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Symbolism of Bridges and Rainbows
Why bridges and rainbows? What have they got to do with each other? Well, the archetypal bridge is an arc shape, like the rainbow. Symbolically, bridges and rainbows can be similar.
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Lighthouse Symbolism
The lighthouse is a multivalent, paradoxical symbol which can come in very handy when crafting stories and connecting to theme.
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Blood Symbolism
Red is not only the colour of blood–and the import of this fact does not need any emphasis–but it has also been used from prehistoric times to the present as a shield against evil. The Escape Through The Window: A Figura For Christ’s Victory Over Death, 1973 BLOOD AS SYMBOL OF LIFE Ancient Greek philosopher […]
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The Symbolism of Water Wells
In folklore and fairy tale, round, enclosed structures (towers and wells) align with lunar figures which stand in for cyclic time i.e. dragons, serpents, werewolves or other related creatures who abduct maidens. And also, by the way, dishevelled hair and shaggy furs worn as garments are the other symbol set which go hand-in-hand with round, […]
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The Symbolism of Dolls In Storytelling
Dolls serve as comfort; they also creep us out. Which is it gonna be? And how do storytellers utilise their multivalent presence in our lives?
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A Glossary of The Underworld
Since we’re all going to hell (by someone’s rules), here is a glossary of terms you may need before you get there. I’d provide a map, but that is coming. ACHERON One of the Five Rivers of the Realm of Hades, according to Ancient Greeks. This is an actual river located in northwest Greece. The […]
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Words to Describe Landscapes, Landforms, Water and Construction
(Includes bodies of water.) You may be after a full glossary of landforms, in which case the Wikipedia article is comprehensive: Full list of landforms at Wikipedia. This post skews literary.
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Symbolism of Coats and Cloaks
The cloak is the garment of Kings, and the King is a symbolic archetype. Fathers and Kings are basically the same archetype in traditional stories. (Fathers are the kings of the home.)
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Wave Symbolism
Storytellers have long utilised the symbolism of dreams, which apply equally when we’re awake.
