An In-Depth Look At Symbolism in Spidersilk the Novel

In literature and everyday life we use symbols to give things deeper meaning. From hope to death, there’s so many forms of symbolism that can transform the written word as well as a simple walk in the rain. In the novel Spidersilk by Akutra-Ramses Atenosis Cea, we are given many examples of how powerful symbolism can be as well as how it can transform things you may not think to take a second look at into a huge turning point in a story. In his novel, Cea uses a variety of animals to give his story a more profound meaning while offering clues to readers that take a closer look at the finer details.

One of the first experiences with animal symbolism readers witness is in the form of a hyena. Throughout the history of many cultures the hyena has been frowned upon for its close symbolism with evil nature and a twisted sense of humor. Although the hyena is usually seen in such a negative light, Cea uses a less popular, but much older, form of symbolism for this creature. In the novel the main character Mark Khiop witnesses a hyena twice. The first time he has just finished with an early struggle with intruders that are invading his friends’ world and the second time is when he goes to check on a friend who is in danger (Cea, 2013, pp. 31, 85). In both encounters with the hyena, it is seen as weak or sickly and doesn’t come off as incredibly hostile or threatening. Now, as we step away from the iconic symbolism of the hyena being all evil and a prankster, we can look at more ancient cultures, like the Egyptians, who saw the hyena as wise as well as having powers of divination (Tresidder, 1999). Thus, when Mark sees the Hyena as sickly and worn down, it is a look into the future. As the battle carried out Mark knew he had to be at his best in order to beat his foes. The premonition led him to victory while also providing him with hints as to the state of himself, the intruders and his friends.

Throughout Spidersilk, the characters witness several birds that help the group get rid of the intruders and also save lives. One bird that helps guide the reader to a deeper meaning is the crow. Like the hyena, the crow tends to have a negative stigma surrounding it. Many cultures see the crow as a symbol for death and dark motives. There are two symbolism definitions we can look at for the crow though. When Mark originally sees the crows it as if they are announcing his presence. Shortly after an insightful Elder appears and gives Mark some advice, he needs to defeat the intruders (Cea, 2013, p. 52). In Native American culture, crows are seen as totem animals that bring intelligence, insight and bravery, all of which Mark needed to defeat his foes (Harris). On the hand, we can also look at another Native American symbol. In many stories, the crow would appear whenever a revelation needed to be made. In Spidersilk, Mark needed to open up his third eye in order to see exactly what needed to be done to complete his destiny, thus the crows show the reader deep sight (Love, n.d.).

Falcons also play a huge role in the novel, especially pertaining to the rescue of some of Mark’s friends. Although the falcon is mentioned a few times in Spidersilk one of the most memorable scenes in when Isis spots a falcon through the window of the room she was imprisoned in. She cries for the bird to get help, believing it may have been a pet, but doesn’t think twice about it flying away. When the bird returns with help, she’s blown away (Cea, 2013, pp. 115-117). Falcons are normally symbolized as wise and their predator instincts ensures their typically seen as cunning and brave. One symbol that really does hit the mark though is rising above a situation to victory (Venefica, n.d.). This is seen throughout the book as Mark transforms from a victim of theft to the hero of the story. The falcon almost seems to become a symbol for Mark who is victorious, brave and has a strong guardianship (Venefica, n.d.). A lesser known symbol for the falcon is the rising sun, which helps seal the theory of the falcon symbolizing Mark. Earlier in the novel as Mark and the Elder speak the elder warns that the intruders are “having issues with his silent sun.” (Cea, 2013, p. 52).

As things begin to get more intense in the novel, Ramses, a friend of Mark’s takes Draul, a suspect, hostage in order to gain information of him. When he doesn’t comply Ramses brings out the scarab beetles to show Draul he means business (Cea, 2013, pp. 38-40). Scarab beetles are fascinating and are often symbolized in Ancient Egyptian tales. The scarab beetle is usually used to show a transition between life and death. This is largely due to the fact that scarab beetles lived in dung until they would figure out they had wings that enabled them to fly away to a better environment. The Ancient Egyptians found this to be a true symbol for human life to death and began utilizing the beetle in stories (Campos, 2011). In Spidersilk, the scarab beetle comes in an intense time for Draul, but this situation is featured as Mark begins to understand what is going on with the intruders. Thus, as the plot climaxes, the scarab beetles act as a sort of segue for the conflict allowing Mark to transition from a struggle to a victory.

Of course, spiders play a huge part in the novel and are one of the most important symbols in the book. Although spiders aren’t often used in symbolism in much of today’s literature, they play a major role in stories of old. In Native American culture the spider was seen as a protector that provided wisdom to the people. The spider was regarded so highly in this culture that they often referred to spiders as grandmother (Wigington, n.d.). When Mark opened his third eye he was able to see spiders the size of PlayStations and all of the webs they’d created to protect him (Cea, 2013, pp. 33,129). Stories like this aren’t just seen in literature and folklore. Rather, you can even find the story of spiders working as protectors in the Bible. David, who was being chased by King Solomon’s soldiers took refuge in a cave. A spider quickly spun a web over the entrance in order to detour the soldiers from pursuing David (Yaakov). Of course, protection isn’t the only thing spiders are known for. In fact, Mark’s luck with finances and friendship may have been caused by the spiders’ presence as they also symbolize prosperity (Wigington, n.d.)!

Symbolism is an amazing way to give text even more meaning. In Spidersilk readers are given a wide selection of symbolism to make their reading experience even more incredible. These animals are only a small taste of the symbols that make up this incredible novel. However, they do reveal themselves to be some of the more important living symbols which deserve a second, or even third, look in order to fully understand the beauty the author provided for readers willing to take a closer look at the story.

- written by Chelsey Hansen 12/5/2014

References

Campos, T. (2011). The Symbolic Meaning of the Scarab Beetle and Egyptian Symbolism. Retrieved 12/5/2014 from suite.io: https://suite.io/thais-campos/4wzn22t

Cea, Akutra-Ramses A. (2013). Spidersilk. Trafford Publishing.

Harris, E. (n.d.). Crow Spirit Animal. Retrieved 12/4/2014 from spiritanimal.info: http://www.spiritanimal.info/crow-spirit-animal/

Love, P. (n.d.). Symbolic Crow Meaning - An Ancient Symbol of Prophecy. Retrieved 12/5/2014 from universeofsymbolism.com: http://www.universeofsymbolism.com/symbolic-crow-meaning.html

Tresidder, J. (1999). The Watkins Dictionary of Symbols. London: Duncan Baird Publishers.

Venefica, A. (n.d.). Falcon Animal Totem and Falcon Meaning. Retrieved 12/5/2014 from whats-your-sign.com: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/falcon-animal-totem.html

Wigington, P. (n.d.). Spider Mythology and Folklore. Retrieved 12/5/2014 from about.com: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/samhaintraditions/a/Spider-Mythology-And-Folklore.htm

Yaakov, A. (2006, July). Know Your Bible. Retrieved 12/5/2014 from azamra.org: http://www.azamra.org/Bible/I%20Samuel%2026-27.htm