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1. To use, click the title that you want to explore. Continue using the same action until you find the information you’re looking for. Actions Characters Settings Objects

2. Water Return to Start Sex Trip Go Back Eat Flight

3. Most of the time, authors will not attempt writing directly about sex. Often a metaphor will replace the scene, sometimes being more suggestive than having the actual description. These include dark tunnels, waves, ect. If the author does explore the physical aspect of sex, it is often critiqued as being porn. Sex can mean almost anything. It’s often used to express freedom, power, rights, or rebellion. Return to Start Go Back

4. Tossing characters into a river is a. wishful fulfillment b. exorcism of primal fear c. exploration of the possible and not just d. handy solution to messy plot difficulties As far as baptism, a person will generally become wet three times, representing the father, son, and holy spirit. One must accept being baptized for it to work. Baptism can mean many things, including death, birth, or a new identity. Return to Start Go Back

5. Season Return to Start Culture Go Back Location Weather

6. Typically, if a character is sent south, it’s intended for them to run amuck and develop a more whimsical personality. Low geography, such as swamps, clouds, or fog, is associated with shady, un-trusted people. This type of geography can mean unpleasantness, life, or death. High geography, like snow, ice, mountains or other thin air areas, can represent freedom, purity, clear views, isolation, life, or death. Return to Start Go Back

7. Return to Start Culture most times represents either exactly who the main character is or is rebelling from. Many symbols may be hidden with how the character was raised. Typically if the culture of the story changes, it represents a change within the character too. Go Back

8. Physical Appearance Return to Start Handicap Go Back Disease Monster

9. Typically the change of a season within a story will symbolize a change within a key character in the story. Throughout most stories, the meanings of seasons are predictable. Winter can mean isolation, friendship, death, or development. Fall can represent death or comedy while spring means birth, rebirth, or beginning. Summer includes freedom, joy, or rebellion. Return to Start Go Back

10. Return to Start Heroes (and villains) are almost always one of a kind and sport some obvious marking or deformity. Often times the most deformed character and what he is viewed to others will be a symbol towards another character and what he truly is. For instance, Frankenstein, very oddly shaped, represents the monster of Victor. Go Back

11. Return to Start If the author wishes a character to become purified, cleansed, or renewed, they will have the character walk through rain or snow. Most of the time, weather, such as the common rain or fog, is used as a path (and metaphor) for a character as they evolve. Go Back

12. If a person is handicapped within a story, they are usually the most talented and pure character as well. With a character being blind, there is most likely a symbolic meaning behind it. Perhaps another person can’t see things metaphorically while the blind person can see things for truly what they are, even though they can’t see literally. Sometimes the author will hide the fact that someone, or something is blind. Often times if it’s a physical handicap, such as having a wheelchair or leg braces, the author is trying to make the reader view something a certain way or give a new perspective. Return to Start Go Back

13. Most diseases, like heart disease, represent an incredible obvious metaphor towards the character. Specifically to heart disease, a very common disease used by authors since the heart is associated with most emotions, can explain love, hate, friendship, pain, loneliness, or humanity. Strokes are also another common illness used. Paralysis is used as a metaphor of being isolated or unattached. If an author does use a disease, it should be one of mysterious origin, have a bizarre beauty as it damages, and be rare. Return to Start Go Back

14. A road will only appear if it’s a symbol for traveling of a character. Most of the time, if the author writes about a road, the main character will usually have to choose to go down one path or another, a metaphor for a choice in the character’s life. The reader should pay attention to the path not chosen by the character, as it can represent irony as well as Return to Start Go Back

15. Return to Start If a character is sent on a trip, pay attention to why they are going. Although most times they won’t attain the reason why they’re going, the character will develop self awareness and self knowledge. Go Back

16. Return to Start “Whenever characters eat or drink together, it’s communion.” Eating can express anything, including sex, love, or any other relationship action. The reader should pay attention to the relationship of the people before and after the meal. Do they get closer or farther apart? Go Back

17. Return to Start When monsters are involved, they often represent a sexual aspect in the story. Does the monster have a dark (or darker) side to them that displays bad ethics or shallow choices involving other humans, more specifically women. Go Back

18. Return to Start The action of flight typically symbolizes freedom, vanity, or escape. Flight can be used to resemble irony, for instance if a character can fly and has wings, while no one else can. Go Back

19. Return to Start Road Go Back