While a lot of what I mention is
self-evident, I’m actually including source references with this article due to
the, ahem, “touchiness,” of some of the symbolic aspects that I mention. So, yeah,
you’ve been warned:
Symbols are everywhere, and we are
only beginning to understand the full psychological effect on the human psyche.
Why are people attracted to certain colors?1 What’s up with the
color black always being viewed as a sign of evil or masculine aggression? Why
did the Cross (which exists in many forms, like the Egyptian Ankh) give people
a sense of protection even before the Christian era?2 And what does
all this have to do with writing fiction?
Long before writing and language
became the dominant form of communication, ancient humans used to paint symbols
onto cave walls to communicate vital information to the rest of their tribes,
like the best food to hunt and where to find it.3 So reaction to
symbolic imagery was ingrained into the human psyche thousands of years before
the first Sumerian cuneiform was created. The skill that ancient humans used to
interpret the symbols is what we today call symbolism, better called symbol
literacy4.
As writing and language became the
dominant communication method our skill in symbol literacy diminished;
although, it never completely died out, and much of it became incorporated into
the great myths and fairy-tales--the forerunners of fantasy, science fiction,
and horror. And it is in those three genres where you find the ancient symbolic
iconography appear most often, whether it’s the color symbols used by Edgar
Allen Poe or Tolkien representing Sauron as a fiery All-Seeing Eye. Often the
image use is a subconscious act during the writing process, but sometimes the
writer knows exactly what he’s putting in there and its intended effect.
Nowhere does it become more obvious
than in big-budget films like Ultraviolet. You could possibly write an
entire book about the symbolic iconography in this film alone, and there are
hundreds of films filled with symbols to one extent or another. But let’s just
break down one or two of the basics.
In Ultraviolet you have the
headquarters of the main antagonist, Dax. The walled compound is in the shape
of a cross (a symbol for Life and Resurrection2), and while some of
the structures are pyramidal, the main building in the cross’s center possesses
a domed roof comprised of triangular glass panes, representing the “dome” of
the Sun. Why does the evil guy responsible for tyranny and death dwell here?
Because he’s the corruption from within. It’s no accident that the final battle
involves flame-covered swords and that the compound gets destroyed by fire, for
fire is a two-edged sword that can both destroy and purify at the same time.
Throughout the film, the hemophage protagonist, Violet (a color made by the
mixing of red with blue, or war with peace) acts as a matronly protective
Madonna figure to a child named Six who was engineered with a pathogen that
could doom the entire world but also contains the key to possibly cure the
hemophages. Six dies, thus saving the world from the pathogen, and Violet’s
tears (representing the Water of Life) later “resurrects” Six as a hemophage.
Whether the hemophages will one day be cured is left open, but the Twice-Born
God2 nature of Six combined with the Isis/Horus (or Mary/Christ)
relationship between him and Violet intentionally leaves the viewer feeling
hopeful.
In Lord of the Rings,
Gandalf the Grey resurrects as Gandalf the White. The color white represents
goodness, or the Light. But why does it represent this? Because in ancient
times the rise of the Sun meant a new day dawned and they had survived one more
night. Night was the most fearful time of all for ancient humans. Predators came
out at night who could see at night far better than humans could. That is why
night, or darkness (black), was personified as evil; and day, or light (white),
was seen as good. This is why white was often viewed as a feminine aspect in
matriarchal societies but as a masculine aspect in patriarchal societies. And
it is also the reason why the Sun plays such a prominent role in ancient myths
all over the world.
Sauron is described as “a great
eye, lidless, wreathed in flame” that can pretty much see anything he wants.
The All-Seeing Eye is an ancient symbol that represented the Eye of God which
the ancients often viewed as being the Sun. So why is a being of evil (or
night) pretending to be God? Just as Set seeks to stop Ra, and Satan seeks to
stop Christ, because he wishes to be the ruler over all (God); so too does
Sauron seek to stop Illuvatar by pretending to be Illuvatar, but he can only
succeed at being a cheap imitation.
The above are only tiny examples of
the richness and depth to be found in the meaning of symbols that appear in
literature, film, music, or even the building you passed on your way to the
grocery store. But how can you incorporate such richness to enhance your own
fiction?
The first step is to understand
that the symbols cannot become the story, they only serve to enhance the story
you’re trying to tell or to provide a “hidden” story within the story (which
Neil Gaiman does quite often).
Second, unless you plan to let your
subconscious have all the fun, you have to know your symbols. A good book to
get is Elisabeth Goldsmith’s Ancient Pagan Symbols. That book is the
mother load of ancient symbols and their meanings. A good study of the
psychological influence symbols and colors can have on the human mind can be
found, of all places, on YouTube: Michael Tsarion--The Subversive Use of Sacred
Symbolism in the Media. It’s in eleven parts and is an eye-opener to the amount
of ancient symbols people get bombarded with on a daily basis and how
corporations use them to sell their products. Tsarion is well-known among the
alternative research field, and many of his views on other things fall in the
category of conspiracy theory. However, I find his work on symbolism
well-researched and much along the lines of what people like Elisabeth Goldsmith,
J. R. R. Tolkien, and Joseph Campell has written or said on the subject. So,
Dan Brown, eat your heart out.
And last but not least, read Poe.
Poe knew symbolism, and more importantly he knew how to incorporate them into
his stories without making it too obvious. Of course, if you try to bombard
your readers like Poe did, you better know exactly what you’re doing;
otherwise, it’ll fall flat.
But whether you decide to bombard
the human psyche with “in-your-face” iconography, use it sparingly to enhance a
scene or two, or just study it to learn what your subconscious had known all
along, one thing is for certain. Once you become symbol literate, you’ll never
again see the world through the same eyes.
And, with a little luck and some
skill, neither will your readers.
References
1. Color
Theory--Color Lessons in Art and Design.
http://www.artyfactory.com/color_theory/color_theory_2.htm
2.
Goldsmith, Elisabeth (2003, June 11). Ancient Pagan Symbols (Illustrated
Edition). Red Wheel.
3. Cave
Paintings. New World Encyclopedia.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Cave_painting
