1344

ESL 21a

Essay 1.2

916 words

In our everyday life, we are using a lot of symbols to describe or represent somethingVague. What is the symbol? A symbol is a sign or object that represents something else. When we can't say the something directly, when we want to say them more fictionally, or when we want to describe more nicely, the symbols can be used instead of the somethingWChoice. Most of symbols have two different sides, the physical characteristics and meanings. According to how we use the symbols and where we use them, the symbols can have different functions. Metaphor and metonym are the way that we can use the symbols.

When we present something indirectly, we often use Metaphor. As we already know that 'Metaphor is an idea that people use to stand for another set of ideas and also is an important analytical concept used by anthropologists in the study of symbolic systems',Punctuation if we can think {***}MissingWa metaphor carefully, we will realize its meaning. As examplesSing/Plu, RCapitalizationecently in our household, there are changing more and more{1}, butChoppy we are still using television remote control as a symbol of power in our family. In addition, {***}MissingWwho has family bank account and manageS/VAgreement it can represent that who is most powerful person in our family. Another type of symbol is a MCapitalizationetonym which is based on a substitution of one thing for another. Such as cookWForm, clean, and laundry can represent housewives and construction and repair could stand for man.

Changes of TV channel make important symbolic statements about position of power.Good! Many Asian countries are still having their traditional rules and power. Recently, they are changing their traditions bit by bit, but there are many obstacles because these traditions are related with their religions which teach about filial piety, friendship, or honor. Thus these traditions are been applyingVForm different wayVague in their modern lives. When all family members are sitting together in living room, they watch a TV program. If their favorite programs are different, most of cases man, father,WOrder changes the channel according to his opinion. Of course, another membersSing/Plu would have complainsSpl, but it will be disregarded by the man. In traditional wayWChoice, children have to obey their parents and have to follow the parents' opinions because undutifulness was worst violent. Also respect and followWForm husband was best cardinal virtues for wife{2}. If another member could change the channel or could have remote control in this traditional family, it means the person is probably most powerful or influence able person. Thus having remote control and changing a channel show that status of power in family.

Since humanSing/Plu usedVTense money for a measure of value, having and managing the money have been usingVForm as a symbol of power. Like some Asian countries proverb, 'don't having money is guilty and having money is innocent', money is representing the best power.{3} In our household, who{4} manages their bank account shows that the person is havingVTense the power thatConj/Trans the economical supremacy. When other family members want to buy something, they shouldWChoice ask to buy it. Even sometimes, they shouldWChoice beg to the person for buying unnecessary things.

Like 'individuals in positions of authority are associated with particular objects that become symbols of the office they hold such as a crown, an imperial regalia, a staff, a wand, or an umbrella', many house stuffs{5} can represent housewife, husband, or children as it's symbols. For example if we imagine that someone is cooking in a kitchen, we usually guess that the one should be a woman and housewife. Sometimes man or children cook and serve their meal for their family, but most of cases a woman usually do it. An oven, a washing machine, or a laundry can be symbols of housewives. Someone might complain about these in order to there are a lot of man chefs in hotels and restaurants and men who are doing laundry generally and they appeal that those stuffs can't be used for housewives. However as a chef in restaurants or hotels, they need a lost of stamina's to work for long times. They have to prepare materials, should lift heavy stuff up, and stay for long time at same position. That's reason of why man chefs are more than woman. We also can infer that men usually work for something that require strength and stamina such as fixing broken table or pipes or cutting grasses on a garden. Repair tools such as hammers, pliers, and drivers can be used for symbols. Every object that someone uses it to do their work generally can be used for a symbol as a metonym. {***}ParagraphingOn the other hands, an object can be used for a symbol of metaphor. For example, when we describe our baby or cute children, we usually say puppy or little bear to them. Both symbols are having a meaning that is beautiful, cute, little, or pretty. Puppy and little bear do not represent human because they are animals, but they can be used to describe how the person looks like or how the person is pretty.

Finally, we found that everything in our common life can become a symbol. They can describe many situations that we want to say it as another way. They also can represent some objects or situations. Sometimes, what a symbol used is not really important to know its meaning and functions because according to how we use the symbols and where we use them, the symbols can have different functions.