AnalysisofSymbolismintheAndTheMountainsEchoed

1. Analysis of Symbolism in the Specific Meaning of the Images

In this novel， the mountains appeared many times， and it was endowed with special meanings. Maybe people were lost in the uninterrupted mountains， As long as they cried out， the echo of mountains would respond and comfort them， and guide them to find the way home， It made them feel no longer lonely. People in magnificent mountains hoped to be responded. All secrets would be taken away among mountains， deserts and heath land. It also can keep secrets for people. It was great to accommodate the good and the evil from the human.

For example， Behind her back was elder sister sitting in the heath， Parwana married Sabul with blessings from sister and love to Sabul. She can not live on with the sense of evil and shame. The echo of mountains， like the cry of sister， responded in the dream. The author just barely exposed the darkness hidden in the depth of the heart.

What made readers unforgettable was the confession from Suleman. They loved each others in the heart but they never said love. They just lived together. But both of them know they can not become lovers. So the mountains were the symbol that they can get a response from. Suleman said to Nabi that when I met you firstly， I know clearly that we are not the same kinds. Although what I desired is something can not get， we still go for a walk， drive with you. I am satisfied with all of this. I feel so lucky to stay with you. I am used to a life accompanied by you he said. It is said in And the Mountains Echoed （Khaled Hossein， 2013：p233）.

2. Analysis of Symbolism of Places

The novel began with a fairy tale that the devil entered a village to collect children. Upon the devil entered village， all the villagers were hiding， The people who were seen by devil will be eaten. When the Devil knocked a room， its owner must have to hand in his child to the devil. If they did not follow his order， the devil would destroy their family. Father in the story hesitated for a long time， and finally handed in his most beloved son. In the storm， the son outside the door cried his fathers name helplessly. His father in the door felt so sad and helpless. Devil led him to a fairyland， through the window， he saw his son playing on the grass with other children， but he would never come back， and would continue to be the children of farmers， living a hungry and poor life. The father did not take his son to home， he does not believe he can change the fate of the son and give the child a happy future. So the son lived in the fairy forever.

The fairy tale was told by the father Sabul who sent daughter Pali on the way to Kabul.It was like a indicator in the novel， guiding readers toward the reality. In reality， Sabul also could not afford to raise a child because of poverty， but to send his daughter to Wahdati. The author created Sabul and Pali by emotions and sentiments， portraying his father as heartless， cruel and helpless. In fact， it was to tell the reader Love was selfless. So the fairyland was the symbol of Wahdatis house in Kabul in Afghanistan. It meant Pali will lead a totally different life from his brothers. In the fairyland， children will not be worried about food and clothes. That was the life Pali led in Kabul. So the symbolism in this chapter could deepen the theme.

When the brother and sister were on the way to Kabul， they must sleep in the desert at night. They ate food and tomatoes prepared by Parwana. Father set a fire and made the water boiled. Abdullah lay beside the fire and asked his father to tell a story for them. But his father said it was late. Then he and his sister just fell into asleep. At midnight， Abdullah awoke and found his father gone. He was too scared and nervous to speak a word， because the darkness was around them. He can hear nothing and called father without respond. He thought his father abandoned them there. At that time， a shape from darkness appeared.”Go to sleep， boy” father said.

In general， desert was mighty， significant， and huge. In this chapter， desert was the symbol of the despair. Desert was so vast just like the world. It was so easy for someone in desert to get lost. There was no help hand and direction there. The father Sabul knew he would lose his daughter but he can not do nothing to stop it. He did not want to tell the truth to his son. So the desert can express the mood of despair properly.

References：

[1]Chadwick Charles.Symbolism[M].London：Methuen&Co; Led， 1971.

[2]Ernest Hemingway.The Old Man and the Sea[M].Washington，1952.

[3]Hosseini Khaled.And the Mountains Echoed[M].New York：Riverhead Books，2013.

【作者簡介】张娟（1993.12.25- ），女，山西应县人，辽宁大学，专业：英语笔译。