Luckily, the story we are reading this week contains a symbol that the author has invented. That is, he has taken a common object and imbued it with a significance that you probably haven’t heard before. In this case, the symbol is identified in the title, but you won’t understand its significance until you finish the story. So the question I’m asking on the discussion board this week is very simple: what does the symbol in the story represent? So read it carefully and think critically. I look forward to reading your responses.
- You have just read Peter Meinke’s “The Cranes.” As I mentioned in this week’s welcome, this week’s topic is theme. The major symbols of this story are the whooping cranes that the protagonists are watching from their car. What do you think these birds are symbolic of? Why do you think so?
- As I stated in my lecture for this week, “The Cranes” has to be read carefully or you might miss what happens at the conclusion. How do you interpret what happens? Explain how you came to your opinion.
Sample Solution
