Nathaniel Hawthorne is renowned for deep symbolism and psychological insight. So, what's The Scarlet Letter really about? It's about more than a misbehaving minister.
The Lottery ends with a famously disturbing plot twist, one that has provoked controversy since the instant it appeared in The New Yorker. What point was Shirley Jackson making?
A novel’s symbolic language carries a message beyond simply what happens in the plot. But like luggage, it has to be unpacked. So, here are a few forms to be on the look-out for the next time you pick up a book.