Why do people say A picture is worth a thousand words? What they mean is that a single image can tell an entire story. However, sometimes a picture is worth this much for another reason—it symbolizes, or represents, a much bigger idea. A plane ticket, for instance, may symbolize freedom, and a treasured children’s book could represent the love of a parent who tucked you into bed each and every night.
Symbols are common in works of literature. They may seem like simple, ordinary details at first. But then, the way they are described—or the number of times they appear in the story—suggests that they are more important than other details. In other words, they mean more.
As you watch the video, try to identify what its main character learns about life, based on the experience the video describes. Do any of the video’s details seem symbolic of the story’s theme, or overall message?
I had dreamed of being an actor my whole entire life. I went to my first Broadway play when I was six, and I practically memorized the play Romeo and Juliet by the time I was 12. So when my Aunt Gretchen decided to help produce a play at the local high school, I begged her to let me help. Aunt Gretchen finally agreed to let me be sort of like her assistant.
Well, Aunt Gretchen was surprised by how helpful I was! I sat through all the auditions, taking notes and running into the hallway to call the next person onto the stage. I gathered props, helped build the set, and suggested ideas for costumes. And unlike some of the actors, I didn’t miss a single rehearsal.
When opening night arrived, Aunt Gretchen was in a panic. One of the leads was sick and there wasn’t anyone to take her place—her alternate had already arranged to be out of town that night. This time it was Aunt Gretchen’s turn to beg. She knew that I was the only person in the theater who knew every single line of the play!
I had never performed on stage before, and the thought of hundreds of people staring at me made my mouth feel dry and my head feel fuzzy. Still, I took a few deep breaths, pushed my fear aside, and put on the costume. I told myself it was an opportunity I might not get again soon.
Opening night turned out to be a huge success. During the curtain call, I felt so good standing on stage with the other members of the cast. Some people in the audience even came backstage to congratulate us and to ask for autographs—kind of silly, I know. Well, this little girl walked up to me—she was really shy and wouldn’t let go of her mother’s hand, but she handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The little girl’s mom shook my hand and told me how realistic my performance had seemed.
That night, I put my flowers in a vase and set them on my nightstand, and that is where they stayed for two weeks. Every night I looked at the flowers while I fell asleep, and I swear I could almost hear the crowd’s cheers. Now I’m sure that standing on stage after a performance is the best feeling in the whole entire world.
Question
What can you learn from Kendra’s experience? What image or detail could symbolize the lesson she learned the night of her big debut?
