Josh

This page is epic What character traits prevented Desiree from overcoming the circumstances that shackled her?

17. What is the symbolic significance of the unicorn? What is the significance of the fact that the unicorn gets broken and Laura gives it to Jim as a souvenir?

I believe that the unicorn was a symbol for Laura that she was unique and that most girls weren't like her, hence having the horn. She talks of how the unicorn is different from all the other horses "Haven't you noticed the single horn on his forehead head?" (1.7), because most girls in that day are expected to receive gentlemen callers and go to business school and learn how to type, but Laura never did any of those. When the unicorn broke I believe it represented her feelings towards "It doesn't matter. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise." (1.7) Jim and that she had finally recieved a gentleman caller and that she had maybe found a man that could marry her, and was finally going to become like other women despite her being crippled. When she had given it to Jim as a "souvenir" going back to when she liked him in highschool she had never really forgotten about him but when she finds out he in engaged I think that it basically showed her that the unicorn was moving from her being abnormal, to Jim being normal realizing that the unicorn wasn't special from the others anymore.


 * Josh -- Good answer -- Look at the other descriptions of the unicorn -- Laura describes it to Jim. Do those fit her also? You need to think more about what it meant when she gave it to Jim.** What if she gave it to him because it was "normal" now and she realized that she wasn't, so the unicorn wasn't special anymore? **-- Don't end with she "liked" him. Go deeper than that. Mrs. S**

Josh- I think you did a good job answering the question and using context to the play. I agree with your description on the symbolic significance of the unicorn. However, I don't really agree with how you said Laura gave the unicorn to Jim because he was the only guy she ever liked. I believe that Jim was really the only guy that showed her how to be "unbreakable." What I mean by that is how Jim builds Laura up with confidence and helps her become a stronger woman. Laura finds this confidence through Jim and once Jim says he has a fiance than Laura becomes "breakable," again. So when the unicorn breaks, it is almost symbolizing her heart and confidence breaking because of the hope she found in Jim. I think she gives it to Jim as a souvenir because I think she wants Jim to remember her in a positive way. ---Julia White

give added ideas of why she gave the glass horse to him, what did the glass horse symbolize. Michael Warren

KB I think your response is good and fits your question pretty well. I agree with the horn of the unicorn symbolizing Laura and how different she really is. I also agree with when the horn breaks off and she says it’s a blessing. I don’t so much agree with her giving him the unicorn because he was the only guy she ever liked but because he was the only guy that really even gave her a chance. –B.S. **What if she gave it to him because it was "normal" now and she realized that she wasn't, so the unicorn wasn't special anymore? Mrs. S** > > * Josh VanDyke Statements || > “I Hear America Singing” > (words or phrases) || Let America Be America Again || Evidence || Not in either poem – put a check only || > || The poem relates a personal experience.  || Tells of the everyday activities of many Americans || "Carpenter measuring his plank and beam" || "Negro bearing scars of slavery" "Young man full of strength and hope" || || || > || The poem relates common experiences. || Workers doing common jobs and being joyful at their lives ||  || People suffering at the hands of others and society ||  ||  || > || The poem explicitly states the message of the poem again. || Not explicitly stating || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Reader must infer that Whitman is celebrating the diversity of American and the joy and hope of American people. || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Repetition of words leads the reader to understand the explicit message that America is not the land of hope and dreams that it should be || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || > || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">The poem describes a variety of events, many of which could be happening at the same time. || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || > || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">The poet uses elevated language. || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Both Hughes and Whitman are noted for their non-conformity in || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Whitman used the language "I" to represent the American people, and his language || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || > || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">The poem uses the language of the poem’s subjects. || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || > || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">The poem’s tone is optimistic and joyful. || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || > || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">The poem’s tone begins in a pessimistic way but ends in a positive note. || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> ||
 * 1) I agree with the idea of the unicorn being different from and average horse, Laura was also special and different from all the other girls. She was crippled, not social, didn’t go to business school, nor did she have gentlemen callers. Laura wasn’t what her mother expected her to be she was different and that affected her life. When the unicorn’s horn did break I think that Laura was okay with it because she thought that maybe, after all, it was okay and she was okay too even with her flaws. **Do you think she was okay with herself at the end of the play? What would have happened to her after Tom left? Mrs. S**
 * Catcher in the Rye I am…
 * I am… depressed, lonely, angry, failing, alienated, young, afraid, unique, confused, scared
 * I dislike… Stradlater, jocks, phonies, liars, Ackley, school, people, teachers
 * I really like… Jane, phoebe, my hunting cap, reading
 * Three things that could contribute to Holdens depression are, Allie dying, flunking out of Pencey prep, and fighting with Stradlater ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Evidence