Symbolism for 19 Points

Kayla Gilbert

Mr. Bain

EAE 3U1

28 September 2009

Symbolism for 19 Points

What happens when you hate your wife and you leave her fate in the hands of a game? Imaginative, unexpected, funny and intriguing, Death by Scrabble is appreciated by many readers. Charlie Fish, the author of this short story, uses symbolism to explain a couple’s love statue through a game of scrabble. The story takes place in the couple’s house, while a husband expresses the profound hatred he has for his wife. Although scrabble is usually am amusing game, in this story the game becomes reality. Death by Scrabble is seen as being very symbolic through things, actions and words.

First of all, the board game and the game tiles are both examples of symbolic things used in this short story. Scrabble represents marriage. Nevertheless, this particular game is uninteresting and slow, which probably reflects the couple’s relationship. This first symbol can already foreshadow a divorce. The two main characters seem to hate each other. The husband reveals his thoughts that are reflecting his hatred and willingness to kill his wife. They play a game to try and solve their misunderstandings. The game tiles or the letters symbolize their past and future events. Every word played reflects their reality. Their future is decided through the words their tiles make. ‘‘The letters made it happen.’’ The husband realizes quickly that he has the power to kill his wife just by playing the right words. Symbolic things can make all the difference in a story.

Second of all, movements and actions have a different symbolism. Depending on the way a person thinks, talks and acts; actions and movements can be a simple gesture or even a hidden secret not yet known. Death by Scrabble includes very simple and innocent gestures. However, every move made becomes more intense. For instance, every time the husband or his wife moves a game tile, it means that they are moving on in life. Also, the husband has a habit to chew the game tiles, meaning he is distracted. In general, when a person is distracted it symbolizes a lost ...

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Lastly, words can mean one thing and symbolize another. Whether a person prefers a meaning to another makes all the difference in the understanding of a story. In this short story, every word played on the board game is symbolic. With this in mind, all the words explain the couple’s fight. For instance, when the husband plays ‘‘begin’’, it signifies the beginning of the conflict. When the wife plays ‘‘fan’’, she tries to call down her husband. Of course, the husband does not calm down for he plays ‘‘zaps’’, which results in his wife getting electrocuted by the fan. With this move made, the husband sends a clear message to his wife: the fight is not over yet. In reply, his wife plays ‘‘ready’’, accepting her husband’s challenge. He decides to play a move, when his wife is turned away from the game. ‘‘He plays a trick. He throws back his “V” and takes a blank tile from the letter bag.’’ Ironically, he plays the word ‘’cheating’’. This word reflects two definitions. First, he has cheated. Second, he had an affair with another woman. His wife simply replies with the word ‘‘ignore’’. The game and the relationship finally end with a very symbolic word played by the wife ‘‘death’’. Her husband dies while choking on a game tile.

In conclusion, symbolism can be found mostly anywhere; in books, on television and even on the internet. Symbolism can also be words, thoughts and actions. Whether a person takes the time to observe these symbols is up to them.

Works Cited

Websites:

Bangets, Ilma. Irony and Symbolism, Mutchan BlogSpot, 2008. Mutchan, 11 Sept. 2009

< http://mutchan.blogspot.com/2008/07/irony-and-symbolism.html>.

East of the Web. Hyperfiction and contributors. 11 Sept. 2009

<http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/DeatScra.shtml>.