Charles Booker II
Professor Kiggins
Symbolism Assignment
July 10 2017
BATTLE ROYAL
Identify the connotative meaning
The denotative meaning of the story the Battle Royal is a fight or quest that is very admirable to the community or the society. It is a battle, a war but it is a prestigious one and kind like not many other battles. It is a fight of honor and dignity.
Identify as many connotative meanings as you can come up with
The Battle Royal connotatively would mean determination, in the story the boy is given some pieces of advice by his grandfather shortly before his death and follows the advice and he is determined that through which ever the straggle he is going to find a way to beat the white man in his game. The second connotative meaning of the Battle royal would be discrimination, the blacks are discriminated upon and despite being blindfolded by the whites, they are in a battle and that is why the boy is subjected to some beatings and humiliations before he is given the chance to audience. The speech he delivers is on how the white are different from the blacks, which is an open that he has to pass across for his survival.
Explain how usage has created the connotative meaning
When the boy is forced top pick the coins, he struggles and laughs embarrassedly as the men push him onto the rug (Ralph, 2). The blacks are not only discriminated by being avoided but they are subjected to very embarrassing situations. The boy feels very bad but he laughs though embarrassed because he is following the advice that his grandfather gave him shortly before his death.
Discuss its symbolic significance to the story
The boy’s ability to pretend to be laughing in such a situation showed how much the blacks had no voice to defend themselves against the numerous humiliation that they were subjected to by the whites. It also shows the determination and the schematic consequences that the boy was ready to undergo to achieve what he wanted.