Early Autumn Figurative Language

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“Early Autumn’s Theme in Figurative Language, Imagery, and Symbolism” According to Dictionary.com, “Love is profound, tender, passionate affection for another person. And loss is the detriment, disadvantage, or deprivation from failure to keep, have, or get.” Love eventually dies out and loss of someone is inevitable. In this story, the plot applies to these two definitions as Mary loves and losses Bill. You don’t know how important someone is until you lose them. The genre is short story. The author, Langston Hughes, reveals the true theme of Early Autumn in figurative language, imagery, and symbolism. In this short story, there is little figurative language. When Mary runs into Bill, she tells Bill “I live in New York now.” He responds…show more content…
Mary apparently still felt love for Bill. Between them there was only small talk and Bill looked upset that his ex-girlfriend had just shown up on the street of Washington Square asking him all about his life. Even though he tried to act polite, he could not hide his emotion and facial expression. The next form of figurative language is personification. “Chains of misty brilliance in the blue air.” (2) You can not literally see brilliance in the air. This personification, however, gives readers incite of what Mary was seeing and feeling that day. Langston Hughes describes her short story with lots of imagery and allows the reader to really picture what was going on that day. It’s just a fact that women age faster than men and Mary had been much older than Bill. Bill wanted to say she looked old, but he instead held his tongue and carried on with their small talk. Mary on the other hand, when she saw Bill she “lifted her head wanting a kiss” (1) because it was instinct from their failed marriage. For her it 2 was just like another normal day married to Bill. Her love for Bill had made her lose track…show more content…
Fell without wind. Autumn dusk.”(1) Even more imagery makes the readers feel like they are standing on Washington Square watching Bill and Mary chat. And lastly, “The lights on the avenue blurred, twinkled, blurred.” (1)This additional imagery helps readers picture the stories’ settings. The symbolism in Early Autumn is truth and revelation. “Suddenly she shrieked very loudly. Good-bye! But the bus doored has closed,” (2) this symbolizes the end of Bill and Mary’s conversation. The characters are at a loss for words, and as a reader, you feel it. It emphasizes her last good bye until they meet again. Their last words together. However, the ultimate symbolism is the very last sentence. “Then she remembered she had forgotten to give him her address- or to ask him for his- or tell him that her youngest boy was named Bill too.” (2) Naming her youngest boy Bill definitely proves that Mary still loves him. Or this could mean Bill is the biological father and her child is really Bill Jr. There is a slight chance, although, that Mary just really likes the name Bill and her naming him that had nothing to do with her ex-boyfriend. In conclusion, the theme of Early Autumn are shown through figurative

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