The Illness Lesson Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

The Illness Lesson Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

Bad luck

The bloody red birds flying across Caroline's home symbolize bad luck. The first time these birds were seen, Caroline's mother contracted a strange disease and died. The second time these birds reappear, all the girls in school contract a strange disease. Therefore, the bloody red birds symbolize a calamity.

Actualization

The girls' boarding school symbolizes actualization. Most people are ambitious and look forward to realizing their dreams one day. For Samuel, constructing the girls' boarding school in his locality is a major achievement. Samuel's passion is to empower girls through education and prepare them for leadership roles in future. Therefore, Samuel's dream is actualized when he builds a school and fully enrolls students.

The Doctor and Samuel

The Doctor and Samuel represent societal ignorance about girls' issues. When the doctor comes to treat the girls in school, he administers a wrong diagnosis because he does not know exactly what is troubling the girls. Samuel unknowingly gives a wrong description of what the girls are suffering from. The disturbing thing is that the doctor does not consider the girl's symptoms and instead administers a wrong diagnosis based on Samuel's description. Therefore, the Doctors and Samuel are insensitive to the real girls' issues.

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