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The thinker, ape and steel are the major symbols of this play. Thinking is a favourite work of Yank. Now and then he tells his fellowmen to let him think. He says, “Lemmetink”. We the readers are introduced to this statue of Rodin several times when Yank needs to think. Yank’s impression of Rodin’s statue, “The Thinker” is symbolic of Yank’s need to think. While he physically embodies the cultural symbol of a “thinker” he cannot think himself. Every time O’Neill’s stage direction calls for the actor to take the position of “The Thinker” Yank has come up against an obstacle that cannot be tackled by any other means but thought—when Yank cannot process the realities before him. After Yank is thrown out of the I.W.W he immediately gets into “The Thinker” pose. 

He is desperate to make sense of his situation and understand why the union would throw him out. Yank’s inability to think not only reveals his regression to a lower animal form, but also renders him unable to adapt to or defend himself in the world beyond the ship. 

The real ape in Scene Eight is the only other character that takes “The Thinker” position. The ape sharing this habitual body position reflects on Yank’s own animalistic state—his mode of thought is no more advanced than the ape’s. 

Apes are everywhere in The Hairy Ape: Yank is called an ape, Yank thinks he is an ape, Mildred thinks she sees an ape, Yank tells people he is an ape, Senator Queen writes that the Wobblies wil degenerate American civilization “back to the ape” and, most importantly, there is a real live ape in Scene 8. The ape symbolizes man in a primitive state before technology, complex language structures, complex thought or money was necessary. The ape represents man that is not only behind in an evolutionary sense, but is free of class, technology and other elements of modern society. The ape is only concerned with survival. 

Steel is both a symbol of power and oppression in The Hairy Ape. While Yank exclaims in Scene One that he is steel, “the muscles and the punch behind it,” he is all the while penned in a virtual cage of steel created by the ship around him. Steel creates other cages in the play~Yank’s jail cell and the cell of the Ape. Steel is also oppressive because it creates jobs like Yank’s, it is symbolic of the technology that force Yank and the Firemen into slave-like jobs. We see Yank at the beginning of the play as an ugly, almost simian figure, the leader of all the firemen on board an unnamed steamship. He glories in his strength and identifies himself with the machinery he serves. He perceives himself as the prime mover of all machinery, the maker of steel. He “belongs,” a favourite word with him. He has found a place for himself, one which satisfied him, in the inferno of the stokehole. This dream is shattered when Mildred Douglas, a jaded young society woman, visits the stokehole in search of a new experience and sees Yank. Steel betrays him, so he starts his search for his identity. 

Write about the symbols of the play The Hairy Ape

Green Land | April 09, 2025 | 0 comments

The thinker, ape and steel are the major symbols of this play. Thinking is a favourite work of Yank. Now and then he tells his fellowmen to let him think. He says, “Lemmetink”. We the readers are introduced to this statue of Rodin several times when Yank needs to think. Yank’s impression of Rodin’s statue, “The Thinker” is symbolic of Yank’s need to think. While he physically embodies the cultural symbol of a “thinker” he cannot think himself. Every time O’Neill’s stage direction calls for the actor to take the position of “The Thinker” Yank has come up against an obstacle that cannot be tackled by any other means but thought—when Yank cannot process the realities before him. After Yank is thrown out of the I.W.W he immediately gets into “The Thinker” pose. 

He is desperate to make sense of his situation and understand why the union would throw him out. Yank’s inability to think not only reveals his regression to a lower animal form, but also renders him unable to adapt to or defend himself in the world beyond the ship. 

The real ape in Scene Eight is the only other character that takes “The Thinker” position. The ape sharing this habitual body position reflects on Yank’s own animalistic state—his mode of thought is no more advanced than the ape’s. 

Apes are everywhere in The Hairy Ape: Yank is called an ape, Yank thinks he is an ape, Mildred thinks she sees an ape, Yank tells people he is an ape, Senator Queen writes that the Wobblies wil degenerate American civilization “back to the ape” and, most importantly, there is a real live ape in Scene 8. The ape symbolizes man in a primitive state before technology, complex language structures, complex thought or money was necessary. The ape represents man that is not only behind in an evolutionary sense, but is free of class, technology and other elements of modern society. The ape is only concerned with survival. 

Steel is both a symbol of power and oppression in The Hairy Ape. While Yank exclaims in Scene One that he is steel, “the muscles and the punch behind it,” he is all the while penned in a virtual cage of steel created by the ship around him. Steel creates other cages in the play~Yank’s jail cell and the cell of the Ape. Steel is also oppressive because it creates jobs like Yank’s, it is symbolic of the technology that force Yank and the Firemen into slave-like jobs. We see Yank at the beginning of the play as an ugly, almost simian figure, the leader of all the firemen on board an unnamed steamship. He glories in his strength and identifies himself with the machinery he serves. He perceives himself as the prime mover of all machinery, the maker of steel. He “belongs,” a favourite word with him. He has found a place for himself, one which satisfied him, in the inferno of the stokehole. This dream is shattered when Mildred Douglas, a jaded young society woman, visits the stokehole in search of a new experience and sees Yank. Steel betrays him, so he starts his search for his identity. 

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Taxis represents both the ostentatious wealth of Americans abroad, who, like Jake, are so pampered that they cannot be troubled to walk across the street. 

In addition, taxis.may represent the transitory nature of people, coming and going. They may be representative of the way people in the twentieth century became increasingly disconnected from one another, People are now shying away from making real connections with the people who briefly come into their lives, like the taxi drivers. After the final bullfight, Romero and Brett leave for Madrid together. Cohn has left that morning, so only Bill, Mike, and Jake remain as the fiesta draws to a close. The next day, the three remaining men rent a car and drive out of Spain to Bayonne and then go their separate ways. Jake heads back into Spain to San Sebastian, where he plans to spend several quiet days relaxing. 

He receives a telegram from Brett, however, asking him to come meet her in Madrid. He complies, and boards an overnight train that same day. Jake finds Brett alone in a Madrid hotel room. She has broken with Romero, fearing that she would ruin him and his career. She announces that she now wants to return to Mike. Jake books tickets for them to leave Madrid. As they ride in a taxi through the Spanish capital, Brett laments that she and Jake could have had a wonderful time together. Jake responds, “Yes, isn’t it pretty to think so?” 

Taxis for travel

Green Land | March 27, 2025 | 0 comments

Taxis represents both the ostentatious wealth of Americans abroad, who, like Jake, are so pampered that they cannot be troubled to walk across the street. 

In addition, taxis.may represent the transitory nature of people, coming and going. They may be representative of the way people in the twentieth century became increasingly disconnected from one another, People are now shying away from making real connections with the people who briefly come into their lives, like the taxi drivers. After the final bullfight, Romero and Brett leave for Madrid together. Cohn has left that morning, so only Bill, Mike, and Jake remain as the fiesta draws to a close. The next day, the three remaining men rent a car and drive out of Spain to Bayonne and then go their separate ways. Jake heads back into Spain to San Sebastian, where he plans to spend several quiet days relaxing. 

He receives a telegram from Brett, however, asking him to come meet her in Madrid. He complies, and boards an overnight train that same day. Jake finds Brett alone in a Madrid hotel room. She has broken with Romero, fearing that she would ruin him and his career. She announces that she now wants to return to Mike. Jake books tickets for them to leave Madrid. As they ride in a taxi through the Spanish capital, Brett laments that she and Jake could have had a wonderful time together. Jake responds, “Yes, isn’t it pretty to think so?” 

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Dr. Adler is the father of the protagonist Tommy Wilhelm of the novel ‘Seize the Day’ by Saul Bellow. Dr. Adler is a rich person, but he is stern, proud and heartless. He is always concerned with his style, self-love and social status. His self-love is of greater importance to him, than love and affection for his son. His self-love originates from his accumulating money and his success in the worldly affairs. He loves money above everything. 

In course of his conversation with a friend, Mr. Perls, he praises his son much. He told a lot of lies to Mr. Perls with the intention of impressing him. He did so to maintain his social status and style. Money is holy and beautiful to him. He is a heartless and unemotional and  unaffectionate father. His relationship with his son is one of confrontation, of alienation and of detachment. 

His attitude towards his son, Wilhelm served as a torment to Wilhelm’s mind. Dr. Adler is not satisfied with Wilhelm for his changing his name when he went to Hollywood to try his luck as an actor. He deprives his son of his love and affection. Wilhelm is in a financial crisis, which his father can easily solve. But when Wilhelm approaches his father for financial help, Dr. Adler refuses to extend any help to him; he rather blames him for his failure in life. He spoke to Wilhelm in a cruel, non-chalant, detached and disapproving manner. He did not show any fatherly sympathy for his helpless condition. Dr. Adler actually symbolizes the bad effects of commercialism — selfishness, meanness, loss of love, sympathy, fellow-feeling and benevolence, after the post-war world.

Dr. Adler in seize the day

Green Land | March 23, 2025 | 0 comments

Dr. Adler is the father of the protagonist Tommy Wilhelm of the novel ‘Seize the Day’ by Saul Bellow. Dr. Adler is a rich person, but he is stern, proud and heartless. He is always concerned with his style, self-love and social status. His self-love is of greater importance to him, than love and affection for his son. His self-love originates from his accumulating money and his success in the worldly affairs. He loves money above everything. 

In course of his conversation with a friend, Mr. Perls, he praises his son much. He told a lot of lies to Mr. Perls with the intention of impressing him. He did so to maintain his social status and style. Money is holy and beautiful to him. He is a heartless and unemotional and  unaffectionate father. His relationship with his son is one of confrontation, of alienation and of detachment. 

His attitude towards his son, Wilhelm served as a torment to Wilhelm’s mind. Dr. Adler is not satisfied with Wilhelm for his changing his name when he went to Hollywood to try his luck as an actor. He deprives his son of his love and affection. Wilhelm is in a financial crisis, which his father can easily solve. But when Wilhelm approaches his father for financial help, Dr. Adler refuses to extend any help to him; he rather blames him for his failure in life. He spoke to Wilhelm in a cruel, non-chalant, detached and disapproving manner. He did not show any fatherly sympathy for his helpless condition. Dr. Adler actually symbolizes the bad effects of commercialism — selfishness, meanness, loss of love, sympathy, fellow-feeling and benevolence, after the post-war world.

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Saul Bellow was born in Quebec in 1915 and moved to Chicago with his family when he was nine years old. He grew up in Chicago, went to high school there, and began his college career. He attended the University of Chicago and received his bachelor’s degree from North-western University with honours in Sociology and Anthropology. 

He has written quite a number of books, some of which are: Dangling Man (1944), The Victim (1947) The Adventures of Augie March (1953), Seize the Day (1956), Herzog (1964), A Theft (1989) Something to Remember Me By (1991). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1976. He has also won the Pulitzer Prize, three National Book Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the 1990 National Book Foundation Medal for distinguished contribution to American letters.


Saul Bellow

Green Land | March 23, 2025 | 0 comments

Saul Bellow was born in Quebec in 1915 and moved to Chicago with his family when he was nine years old. He grew up in Chicago, went to high school there, and began his college career. He attended the University of Chicago and received his bachelor’s degree from North-western University with honours in Sociology and Anthropology. 

He has written quite a number of books, some of which are: Dangling Man (1944), The Victim (1947) The Adventures of Augie March (1953), Seize the Day (1956), Herzog (1964), A Theft (1989) Something to Remember Me By (1991). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1976. He has also won the Pulitzer Prize, three National Book Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the 1990 National Book Foundation Medal for distinguished contribution to American letters.


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The author of the novel Seize the Day has told about a funeral scene at the end of the novel. We have found that while the protagonist of the novel Wilhelm was looking for the deceitful man Dr. Tamkin, he found himself in a funeral procession. Wilhelm was moved forward by the pressure of the crowd. He did not find Tamkin rather he was carried from the street into the chapel. The pressure ended inside. It was dark and cool inside the chapel. Wilhelm gave a sigh when he heard the organ notes that stirred and breathed from the pipes and he saw people in the pews. 

Men in formal clothes and black homburgs strode softly back and forth on the cork floor, up and down the centre aisle. The white of the stained glass was like mother of-pearl, with the blue of a great star fluid, like velvet ribbon. Within a few minutes Wilhelm forgot about Tamkin. He stood along the wall with others and looked toward the coffin and the slow line that was moving past it, gazing at the face of the dead. Slowly, foot by foot he neared the coffin, paused for his turn and gazed down. He caught his breath when he looked at the corpse and his face swelled. His eyes shone hugely with instant tears. The dead man was gray haired. He had two large waves of gray hair at the front. His face was long. 

He had a bony nose. His brows were raised as though he had sunk into the final thought. By the meditative look Wilhelm was so struck that he could not go away. In spite of the tinge of horror, and then heartsickness that he felt he could not go. He stepped out of the line and remained beside the coffin. His eyes were tearful. He studied the man through his still tears. The line of visitors moved with veiled looks past the satin coffin toward the standing bank of lilies, lilacs, and roses, With great stifling sorrow Wilhelm nodded. Standing a little apart from the coffin, he began to cry. He was overwhelmed with emotion. He could not compose himself. Nobody in the chapel but himself was sobbing. He was unknown to all the people in the chapel. 

They thought Wilhelm to be close relative to the dead man. This funeral scene is significant because the funeral procession leads to Wilhelm’s spiritual rebirth. Water as a symbol of rebirth has been used in the last line, “... the heavy sea-like music came upto his ears”. Here the music has been compared to water which poured into him. Again water is there in sobs and cries into which he sank, and which paved the way for the consummation of his “heart's ultimate need”. It symbolizes, according to many critics, Wilhelm’s spiritual rebirth or resuscitation of his spirit for struggling in life. 

Funeral Scene in Seize the Day

Green Land | March 22, 2025 | 0 comments

The author of the novel Seize the Day has told about a funeral scene at the end of the novel. We have found that while the protagonist of the novel Wilhelm was looking for the deceitful man Dr. Tamkin, he found himself in a funeral procession. Wilhelm was moved forward by the pressure of the crowd. He did not find Tamkin rather he was carried from the street into the chapel. The pressure ended inside. It was dark and cool inside the chapel. Wilhelm gave a sigh when he heard the organ notes that stirred and breathed from the pipes and he saw people in the pews. 

Men in formal clothes and black homburgs strode softly back and forth on the cork floor, up and down the centre aisle. The white of the stained glass was like mother of-pearl, with the blue of a great star fluid, like velvet ribbon. Within a few minutes Wilhelm forgot about Tamkin. He stood along the wall with others and looked toward the coffin and the slow line that was moving past it, gazing at the face of the dead. Slowly, foot by foot he neared the coffin, paused for his turn and gazed down. He caught his breath when he looked at the corpse and his face swelled. His eyes shone hugely with instant tears. The dead man was gray haired. He had two large waves of gray hair at the front. His face was long. 

He had a bony nose. His brows were raised as though he had sunk into the final thought. By the meditative look Wilhelm was so struck that he could not go away. In spite of the tinge of horror, and then heartsickness that he felt he could not go. He stepped out of the line and remained beside the coffin. His eyes were tearful. He studied the man through his still tears. The line of visitors moved with veiled looks past the satin coffin toward the standing bank of lilies, lilacs, and roses, With great stifling sorrow Wilhelm nodded. Standing a little apart from the coffin, he began to cry. He was overwhelmed with emotion. He could not compose himself. Nobody in the chapel but himself was sobbing. He was unknown to all the people in the chapel. 

They thought Wilhelm to be close relative to the dead man. This funeral scene is significant because the funeral procession leads to Wilhelm’s spiritual rebirth. Water as a symbol of rebirth has been used in the last line, “... the heavy sea-like music came upto his ears”. Here the music has been compared to water which poured into him. Again water is there in sobs and cries into which he sank, and which paved the way for the consummation of his “heart's ultimate need”. It symbolizes, according to many critics, Wilhelm’s spiritual rebirth or resuscitation of his spirit for struggling in life. 

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