SYMBOLISM
1. The Seasons
The summer in the book seems to symbolize happiness, freedom, fun, and childhood. The teachers are never around and it is a time for the boys to have fun and adventure around. It also represents the point in the book where the boys enjoy the fun of childhood, until it comes to an end when winter starts. The winter season is filled with darkness, sadness, and depression. There is hard work to be done and the childhood games had ended. It marks the point of when the boys mature and end their childish games. The seasons in the book have a lot to do with the happy and sad times in the book, and represent where childhood begins and ends.
2. The Falling of Finny from the Tree
Along with the summer and winter symbolism, Finny's fall is also an important symbol in the book. Finny's fall marks the start of winter. This also shows Gene that being jealous of Finny and hating him comes with some consequences. Gene is flooded with guilt after the fall. The fall mostly symbolizes jealousy turning into guilt, and children maturing.
1. The Seasons
The summer in the book seems to symbolize happiness, freedom, fun, and childhood. The teachers are never around and it is a time for the boys to have fun and adventure around. It also represents the point in the book where the boys enjoy the fun of childhood, until it comes to an end when winter starts. The winter season is filled with darkness, sadness, and depression. There is hard work to be done and the childhood games had ended. It marks the point of when the boys mature and end their childish games. The seasons in the book have a lot to do with the happy and sad times in the book, and represent where childhood begins and ends.
2. The Falling of Finny from the Tree
Along with the summer and winter symbolism, Finny's fall is also an important symbol in the book. Finny's fall marks the start of winter. This also shows Gene that being jealous of Finny and hating him comes with some consequences. Gene is flooded with guilt after the fall. The fall mostly symbolizes jealousy turning into guilt, and children maturing.