Assignment: 1. Finish plan and research for symbolism project.  2. Collect materials you need to complete your project in class. The project is due at the end of class tomorrow. I will have glue and scissors. You need to bring any other supplies you need or come see me by the end of the day to make a plan.  Description of project:  Assignment #1: Symbols of Horror, Due Friday, October 18 We are going to make a gallery of conventional Horror symbols that will help us interpret more specific and complex literary symbols in the future. The purpose of this project is to improve your vocabulary, better understand how to recognize and analyze symbols, differentiate between literal, connotative, and figurative meaning, and to work collaboratively with a partner to create a high quality product that will teach your peers about the symbol you research. REQUIREMENTS: Your poster/display must include the following to receive full credit: Specific characteristics and traits of the object (8 or more) Connotations: what does the object suggest? What do people associate it with?  (6 or more) Explanation of what the object represents symbolically (Must go beyond the obvious) Multiple visual examples in color (magazines, color print-outs, drawings etc.) Synonyms for the word(s) Idioms or expressions that include the object Sources listed on the back of your project You will also be graded on preparation, including using research time productively, coming prepared with materials on Friday, and using class time to complete the project. Complete a draft/plan Bring in materials for Friday: markers, poster paper, magazines, and anything else that will make your project awesome Work with concentration throughout the period on Friday Insects Doors and windows Locks and keys Dolls Vampires Ghosts Red Water Moon Birds Cemetary Darkness and light Fire Sun Zombies House Twins Children Mother Forest/woods Mirrors DEFINITION OF SYMBOL

A symbol works two ways: It is something itself, and it also suggests something deeper. It is crucial to distinguish a symbol from a metaphor: Metaphors are comparisons between two seemingly dissimilar things; symbols associate two things, but their meaning is both literal and figurative. A metaphor might read, "His life was an oak tree that had just lost its leaves"; a symbol might be the oak tree itself, which would evoke the cycle of death and rebirth through the loss and growth of leaves. Some symbols have widespread, commonly accepted values that most readers should recognize: Apple pie suggests innocence or homespun values; ravens signify death; fruit is associated with sensuality. Yet none of these associations is absolute, and all of them are really determined by individual cultures and time (would a Chinese reader recognize that apple pie suggests innocence?). No symbols have absolute meanings, and, by their nature, we cannot read them at face value. Rather than beginning an inquiry into symbols by asking what they mean, it is better to begin by asking what they could mean, or what they have meant.