How Do the Literary Devices Construct Meaning in “the Visit”?
How do the Literary Devices construct meaning in “The Visit”? The book “The Visit” is a play which is composed by literary devices. All of the messages and ideas that this play contains are expressed through literary devices, thus giving life to the major themes. Literary devices give meaning to “The Visit” because they construct the main theme, which is money can corrupt anything. To begin, there are many literary devices in “The Visit”, and they are continuously used with the purpose of constructing the play’s main theme. These are some of the prolonged literary devices are symbolism, archetype, foreshadowing, characterization, and the setting. Symbolism is a great example because it has a direct relation with money. In pages 14, 46, and 51 show how Guelleners want colors yellow and gold to be present in their daily lives. This reflects in how the Mayor’s speech is at the “Golden Apostle”, how everyone begins to buy “New yellow shoes”, or how the policeman has a “Gleaming new golden tooth”. This anxiousness from the Guelleners to have new possessions in yellow and gold whenever they have the opportunity to do so symbolizes a deep everlasting obsession for money that’s capable of any type corruption. Moreover, archetype is what drives Claire because the reason for her return to Guellen is her quest for revenge against Ill. Page 39 is an illustration of Claire’s pursuit for revenge, Claire says, “ You decrepit…now I want accounts between us settled. A moment ago you wanted time turned back, in that wood so full of the past, where we spent our young years. Well I’m turning it back now, and I want justice. Justice for a million”. It’s clear throughout the book Claire wants to get back at Ill for all the suffering he caused her, but the fact she’s using money to achieve it contributes to the production of the main theme. Claire’s will to kill someone is revenge, not justice, and the action of offering a million for Ill’s death, buying the Lord Chief