By JOHNSON EBIGIDE
Symbolism is a poetic rendition, using signs, figures and issues to express situations in a much more clearer but deeper riddles.
Somehow, Symbolism is the pivot of satire, a clever way of unraveling the ills of the society in a much more urbane condemnation.
Now, let’s use a simple example that underscores the funny nature of some class of people that ever think they are right in all circumstances and never care about the feelings of others; humans who believe that they should be appreciated for making the society so difficult to live in, working determinedly for all to dance to their follies at all times.
An Irish American political writer, W.H. Burkley, calls them energumen ! He defines them as certain kind of people who are possessed by evil spirits and who, if given the reins of public affairs, would want to control such affairs according to their hypnotic visions. They are also so self centred that they are at war with their neighbours and coworkers.
Now, the Symbolism ! A man was said to have suddenly decided to keep as many rats as possible as pets, that they were so many that they gave his neighbours, particularly one that squirmed at the site of a rat. The situation got so unbearable for the neighbour that when most of the rats jumped into his apartment, he would simply lock the doors and run for his dear life !
The rat rearer was so engrossed in his occupation that he started given names to each of his rats and would be calling on them loudly to return home when it was getting too late. If the neighbours complained of the atrocities of the rat to the owner, he would asked them, ” who among them are you talking about ? They are easy going; a little accommodation and you would get used to them; they are quite accommodating and friendly. ”
The situation continued until it became unbearable for the man allergic to rats. One day, he went to the market and bought a cat and put it in a cage. In the night, the cat would be mewing and thereby scaring off the rats. The rat rearer raised an alarm, arguing the insensitivity of his neighbour in bringing in the cat. The owner of the cat simply smiled derisively and urged the rat rearer to be rest assured that the cat would remain caged, unless the rats went beyond their bounds by coming into his apartment.
The rat rearer in a fit of rage stormed out of the man, calling him all sort of names and wondering why he was challenging his right to rear rats by bringing in the cat. The war of reasonability and insensitivity in this issue is better imagined !