Relevance vs. Symbolism

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Within each fictitious character, there is a battle between relevance and symbolism.

Relevance is how the character can be found inside every one of us, there are mundane nuances that make them attached to reality. An example of relevance is if the character seeks redemption, similar to most of us, who have also been indebted to someone once or again.

If relevance is concrete, then symbolism is the abstract. Symbolism is what the character represents in the novel, book, composition. Symbolism can be summarized into one word or two, such as "the villain" or "the antagonist". 

In the case of Les Miserables, Javert is a stoic police and prison officer who does not believe the fluidity of honor. He is a static character who can not bend his mind to believe that Jean Valjean was a redeemed fugitive. Javert could not believe that codified law does not equal to righteousness, and that the human spirit is ever-changing. 

Javert's binary nature raises relevance--- we have all been raised to discern right from wrong. However, Javert symbolizes "law" in society. His pursuit for Jean Valjean drives the plotline. His pursuit for Jean Valjean is not because of his relevance to us, but it is what he symbolizes. 

A character is only as good as what he symbolizes, not how attached to reality he is. 

Jean Valjean's final redemption is when Javert commits suicide. This act suggests the death of the "law", that the French revolution was a rivoting historical moment because of such a law disappearing in the societal tides. I digress. 

To be relevant does not move the plot forward. To stand true of what you symbolize drives the plot forward. Look at a fairly common example--- Shakespeare's Romeo is relevant because he is young, he is passionate about love, he likes fair maidens. This doesn't really drive the plot of Romeo and Juliet, it just starts the story.

Romeo symbolizes "a person who is irreverent to traditions", his irreverence to family traditions led to the plotline progressing. And now we have a tragedy. 

I would look carefully at literature, next time. I would ask these two questions: how is this character relevant to me, how does he relate to me? But most importantly, I would ask: why does what this character symbolizes drives the plotline? 

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