I have a question we were suppose to analyze The River by Bruce Springsteen in which a guy speaks of how the youthful dreams his girlfriend and him have had all disappeared. He remembers those dreams the way he remembers the way they used to go to the river to swim. The river then represents those dreams so it is an example of:
Analaogy
Metaphor
Conventional Symbol
Nonce Symbol
Litotes
I'm down to analogy or nonce symbol but I'm not sure which one??
Dealing with the above, although Springsten wrote the song, the events described din't happen to him so that is;
alter ego
persona
unreliable narrator
Third person omniscient narrator
Third person limited narrator
I have it down to persona or unreliable narrator-I'm thinking maybe persona?? Thank you the help
If the river represents dreams, it is a symbol. If you'll explain what you think a nonce symbol is and how it differs from a conventional symbol, we may be able to figure this out.
If Springsteen is the narrator (telling the story, but not a character in it), then it's third-person of some type. So tell me, does the narrator tell the reader/listener things that the characters don't know yet?
A Nonce symbol is a symbol that is used in just that context while a conventional symbol is a universal symbol. I'm just not sure is a river a universal symbol for dreams??
The second part-I'm not sure what you're asking "The River" is a song so Springsteen is just telling this "song" but it didn't happen to him-that's why I thought it was a persona
I think the character in the song realizes that the river represents the dreams because he remembers those dreams the way he remembers the way they used to go to the river
I did two responses because after the first response I thought of something else about the second part of my question
I would call the river a conventional symbol. I have no idea what a nonce symbol is.
I'd also call the narrator third-person omniscient -- the narrator knows things the characters don't.
To determine whether "The River" by Bruce Springsteen is an analogy or a nonce symbol, we need to understand the definitions of these terms:
1. Analogy: A comparison between two things, typically used to explain or clarify something. It involves finding similarities between two different concepts.
2. Nonce Symbol: A symbol that is specifically created for a single occasion or limited use. It is not universally recognized or commonly used.
In the context of the song, the fact that the river represents the dreams suggests that the river is being used as a symbol. However, it is not a universal or commonly used symbol that is recognized by everyone in the same way. Therefore, "The River" can be considered a nonce symbol.
Regarding the viewpoint of the song's narrator, if Bruce Springsteen wrote the song but the events described did not actually happen to him, it indicates that he is adopting a fictional persona or character to convey the story. Therefore, the correct choice would be persona.
So, in summary:
- The river in "The River" by Bruce Springsteen is an example of a nonce symbol.
- Bruce Springsteen is using a persona as the narrator in the song.
I hope this clarifies your doubts!