Symbolism6


 * __SYMBOLISM__**

Two important examples of symbolism in 'Mr Van Gogh' are:


 * Naming of characters
 * Mr Wilcox's house

These symbols are crucial in allowing the reader to identify the main themes of the story which involve looking for inner beauty rather than judging people by appearance and appreciation of life, passion and difference. The story also comments on society’s materialism, lack of moral values and small mindedness.


 * __NAMING OF CHARACTERS__**

The first example of symbolism in “Mr Van Gogh” is Marshall’s naming of his characters. Two of his main characters have names which reflect their characters personalities and help readers to understand their actions in the story. Mr Van Gogh is the primary character for whom the story is named. His real name is Frank Reprieve Wilcox however he is nicknamed Mr Van Gogh for his obsession with the life and works of the artist. Like the real Van Gogh, Mr Van Gogh is slightly eccentric and passionate about art. “It was his necessity and power, it was what he was”. He is described in the story as being “weird” and misunderstood by others in the community. Because of his obsession he is often taunted and ostracised. Mr Van Gogh exemplifies passion for life and beauty. His character helps portray an important moral theme of the story which is that in a world increasingly concerned with image and falsities, people should not judge others on appearance but on their inner beauty. True beauty often lies beneath the surface.

Mr Souness is one of those people who is cruel to Mr Van Gogh and supports the destruction of Mr Van Gogh’s home by the council to build a bridge. He has no respect for those different to himself and no understanding of passion or beauty. When Mr Van Gogh’s house and his life’s work are bulldozed, Marshall describes Mr Souness as “laughing, rubbing his knuckles into his left eye because of the dust”. Like his name suggests, Mr Souness is ‘sour’ about life. He is symbolic of all that is materialistic and immoral in society and helps portray the theme of the small mindedness many small town New Zealand residents have. It also reinforces the lack of tolerance people have for those considered to be outsiders or different to the norm.


 * __MR WILCOX'S HOUSE__**

Another important symbol in “Mr Van Gogh” is the house of Mr Wilcox (Van Gogh). The house Mr Wilcox lived in was an old wooden bungalow, it was “an integration of rust and exposed wood” and the garden was full of weeds. From the outside the house looked old and in a state of disrepair. On the inside however the walls and ceilings were covered with Mr Wilcox’s art, the interior was “an interplay of light and colour that flamed in green, and yellow, and Prussian blue”. The house is symbolic of Mr Wilcox himself- old and unremarkable on the outside but filled with beauty and passion. No-one had ever been inside Mr Wilcox’s house or could have imagined the masterpiece which he created within. The narrator tells how his mother “could imagine the squalor of it…an old man living alone like that.” This is an example of how like his house, few people also knew the inside of Mr Wilcox. They only saw and judged his odd exterior. This symbol not only gives an insight into the character of Mr Wilcox but helps reinforce the main theme of the story, which is that beauty lies beneath the surface and not to judge others by their appearance.


 * __WHY ARE THESE SYMBOLS IMPORTANT?__**

These symbols are crucial in allowing the reader to identify the main themes of the story which involve looking for inner beauty rather than judging people by appearance and appreciation of life and passion. The story also comments on society’s growing materialism and identifies small town New Zealand as having a lack of moral values and intolerance for difference. These are important messgages as these are issues which are still present in modern society. This is a common trait of Owen Marshall's short stories. Marshall tends to target issues which specifically relate to New Zealanders and the issues present in our communities.