Symbolism in the Novel: Mirrors, Hats, and More

Posted on Mar 5, 2025 in English Language and Literature

Mirrors

The mirror is a recurring symbol that appears multiple times in the novel. It supports the notion of the protagonist’s splitting, who, finding himself in the mirror, moves away from it and returns to the past.

  • The mirror serves as a bridge or time warp to the past.
  • It moves to the voice of conscience.
  • It appears in several chapters throughout the novel.
  • It serves to focus and reconstruct the protagonist’s past; that is, to delve into his memories of childhood, adolescence, and his history.

Black Hat

The black hat is an important symbol in the novel with a double meaning. A man leaves his hat on the sheets, referencing mystery literature, and beneath that hat, the folios that form the novel itself will increase.

  • The hat is Carmen’s alter ego, representing her eagerness for literary development through the memory of her memory.
  • It is the symbol above some papers that are then converted into the book – a book about Carmen’s past and her memories.
  • The Man in Black (in splitting from Carmen) leaves his hat.
  • The visit and the mysterious disappearance of the Black Man represent the fantastic level of narrative. The hat then favors the development of fiction.
  • At the end of the novel, 182 pages appear under the hat, resulting from this dialogue.

Cunigan

Cunigan is an imaginary place that symbolizes the protagonist’s desire for freedom. APRA is a unique place to escape reality, dream, and be free. The author weaves stories when he releases his thoughts and dreams. The protagonist has a great interest in the unknown, for freedom, and it is this freedom that Cunigan associates with.

The Cockroach

  • It symbolizes change and fear. These insects are characterized by living in environments where lawlessness and chaos prevail, besides destroying the places where they are.
  • The author may be afraid of the destruction of their memories, their past (which is what they are recovering throughout the novel).
  • Alexander’s eyes are compared to two cockroaches.
  • Carola compares Alexander to a cockroach.

The Gold Box

  • It links Carmen to remembering her childhood and the back room. She takes a pill (which is in color), and the story is interwoven; she takes these pills because they remind her of the back room where she played Parcheesi.
  • The gold box is related to two other objects: the glasses of tea and folios. The vessels represent space to be filled with dreams, fantasies, and memories, so that history occurs.
  • The Black Man gives him the box containing a mysterious amulet, and its value is a secret to them.
  • The three objects are related to the end explained:
  • The glass symbolizes the place where the literary work is being hatched.
  • The box would be the writing, and the pages would be the end result.
  • In the last chapter, the box appears again, making us ask whether it was a dream or reality.

The English Hide

The English Hide symbolizes the space where epic literature takes place. The reference to that child’s play is the symbol of the protagonist’s life. She feels that she has always been playing a game without knowing it, as she stared at the wall, she felt that the world was behind her back.