Hey guys,
For English this year we're doing burial rites as our text and i was just confused as to what exactly the stone was a symbol of? i understand that it's to do with communication but im not sure exactly what Kent want us to interpret the stone to be.
what confused me even more in terms of the symbolic nature of 'stones' in the novel was the quote " It takes a man, a good man to know how to manage a woman who has made her bed among stones"
Your input is very much appreciated!
It's completely understandable that you're confused about the stone... because Kent uses them in contradictory ways. I've heard her speak and I love her, but I've also read countless reviews talking about how the book reads a little like a first-year creative writing assignments, overladen with similes and mixed metaphors and heavy-handed stylistic choices. It's a view I agree with.
So, yeah, the stones mean entirely different things at different times. So I suggest you word things carefully. Eg. 'In this particular instance the stone signifies this particular thing.' Specific rather than general signification. Or even that the stones are used to flag moments of significant import, or emotional turning-points, in the text; kind of like stone markers along the road. But the exact nature of the turning-point or memorable thing is different each time.