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What Does The Ripe Fig Symbolize

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Symbolism in "Ripe Figs" Kate Chopin is an author in the late 1800s that wrote many short stories. Most of her stories involved naturalism, women suffrage, and symbolism. In the short story, "Ripe Figs", symbolism is used profoundly: from the fig itself, to Babette, the main character, and Maman-Nainaine, her god-mother. Chopin uses the fig to represent many different things. In the beginning of the story, the fig is described as "little hard, green marbles" (25). That means that it was immature and has not ripened. It also means that it needs time to grow. The way to make the fig grow, it says it the story, is "warm rain and plenty of strong sunshine"(26). That means that it takes time and goes through hard times and good times in life just like people do. After the fig has grown, it is described completely different. It says that it has "spreading branches"(26), which means that it has grown with knowledge. The figs are now purple, and purple stands for maturity. The fig also has "rich, green leaves"(26). The leaves represent that the fig has learned many things over the process of it growing. …show more content…

When Babette is young, she is immature and irresponsible, that is why she cannot travel to see her cousins yet. In the story, young Babette is described as "restless as a humming-bird"(26), therefor meaning that Babette is impatient. As Babette grows up she becomes more mature, responsible, and patience, that is why she finally gets to travel to see her cousins and aunt all on her own. Babette and the fig are very similar throughout the story. Just like the fig grows and matures over time, so does Babette. That is why her god-mother tells her that when the figs have ripened then you can go and see your

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This signifies that she is looking forward to what the future has in store for her, and she is looking forward to what is yet to come. Next, she is first to witness her papaya ripen as a 10-year-old, while brothers Khoi and Vu (who are more grounded and established) see flowers blooming up along with fruits at the trunk, and are ahead of Hà in terms of age and intellect.

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544 Words | 3 Pages

This signifies that she is looking forward to what the future has in store for her, and she is looking forward to what is yet to come. Next, she is first to witness her papaya ripen as a 10-year-old, while brothers Khoi and Vu (who are more grounded and established) see flowers blooming up along with fruits at the trunk, and are ahead of Hà in terms of age and

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956 Words | 4 Pages

On page 9 it states,’’ I vow to rise every morning…….. I will be the first to witness its ripening.’’ That show’s the reader that she believes the papaya will grow until it is big and strong and she know’s that that tree is not going to die because she is going to watch it grow every morning. She is expecting her tree to grow so she has hope.

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503 Words | 3 Pages

In the book “Roll of thunder hear my cry”, Mildred D. Taylor uses symbolism to provide context, and background information of the how their community is, and who the Logan’s fit in it. A great example when the author provides context and background information would be the fig tree. When the author is describing the fig tree, she describes it as “It keeps on blooming, bearing good fruit year after year, knowing all the time it’ll never get big as them other trees.” (pg 206) The author is trying to describe how the Logan family fits in in the community.

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869 Words | 4 Pages

This leads her and others in her life to be at odds. Furthermore, illustrating Jaine's idealism of love by seeing the world in such detail and viewing it differently than most people, especially when considering a pear tree coming into bloom, as Jaine sees it as "every blossom frothing with delight," (Page 11) which helps to paint a detailed picture of the

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In the vignette titled “Madame Manec”, we see Marie-Laure and her father arriving to Etienne’s house in Saint-Malo. Upon their arrival, Madame Manec begins preparing food for them, peaches being one of the items she serves. She asks Marie-Laure “...‘How about peaches, dear?’ murmurs Madame Manec, and Marie-Laure can hear a can opening, juice slopping into a bowl. Seconds later, she’s eating wedges of wet sunlight” (Doerr 121).

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The author also uses imagery in the following quote, “Watermelon is the ambrosia of the household, closely followed by cantaloupe, strawberries, and cherries.” Through this quote the author conveys the idea to the reader that the family admires watermelon. Since the author refers to the watermelon as ambrosia, meaning the food of the gods, the readers can imagine that the taste of watermelon which might make them want it. The usage of imagery throughout the article allows the readers to view food from the same perspective as her

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This emphasises the enormity of the task Ofelia is about to embark upon and also her vulnerability as the tree’s dominating presence fills the frame. The fig tree itself is symbolic in its representation. Firstly, the entrance of the tree resembles that of a female’s ovaries, with its curved branches replicating the fallopian tubes. Moreover, the tree’s sickened state mirrors Ofelia’s pregnant mother’s own fragile condition.

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Later, Walter realizes that he needs the 50 cents. Walter gave up his money for his son. In order for the family to be nurturing, they must be understanding and be willing to step up for one another. There were some important examples of the plant signifying family. Lorraine Hansberry shows in many ways that it takes hard work to have a healthy plant or even a healthy family.

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“The fig tree just keeps on growing and and doing what it gotta do. It don't give up. It give up, it'll die. There's a lesson to be learned to be learned from that little tree, Cassie girl, cause we're like it. We keep doing what we gotta do and we don't give up.

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The two sisters in the poem have to face the daily temptation from the goblins. The goblins own a fruit business which is situated near a brook where the two sisters collect water. The goblins put a lot of effort in enticing the sisters by giving several descriptions of the variety of fruits they sell. “Come buy our orchard fruits, all ripe together”.

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In the story imagery is used to help show the change in maturity for Babette. At the beginning Babette is shown to be young by, “the figs were like little, green marbles,” Chopin uses this imagery as a way to put in the reader’s mind that the figs are still maturing, to illustrate the fact that Babette still has to mature, in order to go visit her cousins. As time goes on and Babette is growing up, the image of, “a dozen purple figs, fringed around with their rich, green leaves,” lets the reader know that time has come and Babette can finally go to her cousins, because the figs were ripe even though the ripening of the figs didn’t have anything to do with it. The change in the figs elaborates the cycle of time from Babette being a young little girl to being a mature young lady, as the way the figs went from, “green marbles,” to “purple figs.” The use of this imagery is showing comparison between Babette and the figs.

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586 Words | 3 Pages

In the story Gaston, William Saroyan uses the peach to symbolize that no one is perfect, and everyone is flawed. The story is about a girl and her father, and they walked to a market and bought a box full of peaches, one of which was flawed. When they arrived home, they father ate the flawed peach, which has many connections to the real world. For example, if you were to buy a box of peaches, and one was flawed, most likely you would throw it out like any other person, however, the dad would not. Many people would find this disturbing, however, in this case the author chose to have the peach resemble how no one is perfect, whether it is a peach, person, or even an animal.

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1102 Words | 5 Pages

Near the end of the novel she observes, “In the years she had been tying scraps to the branches, the tree had died and the fruit turned bitter. The other apple trees were hale and healthy, but this one, the tree of her remembrances, were as black and twisted as the bombed-out town behind it.” (Hannah 368) The apple tree represents the outcomes of war. It portrays the author’s perspective that lives wither and lose life due to such violence.

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883 Words | 4 Pages

Maturity of Kate Chopin’s “Ripe Figs” The author Kate Chopin is a woman born in the 1800’s who wrote about individuality of women and understanding a woman’s viewpoint during this time. How women were perceived back in the 19th century culturally and economically was as if they were property to be owned by anyone who pleases. An analysis of Chopin’s, “Ripe Figs” will show the use of theme through: religion, patience, and maturity by relating the maturity process to the seasons of the year and the ripening of the figs.

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