A World without symbols? Wow, that's pretty scary if you ask me. Our world is based on symbols and without them the modern civilization would be quite dysfunctional. Many of us are nearing that age where we are beginning to drive and swerve through the roads. As you speed down the road, you see a big red octagon. What do you do? Stop. Imagine every time you came up to a sign on the side of the road, you would have to slow down and pull up to each sign and read it. With symbols, our world is easier. When you are hungry, what do you do? Head for those gigantic golden arches. If those were not around, you might end up going to warehouses or "cross the border" before you stumble upon your destination. Imagine watching TV and not seeing those corny M&M advertisements where that big piece of candy gets lucky with some actress. The world of sports would be hit pretty hard too without symbols. No sports team logos or mascots. That would suck, mascots getting beat up is one of the best things about sports but without symbols there would be none of this. There would be no quick way to identify companies or makes of clothes or cars or any product. You just can't do it. The calendar is filled with symbols. What is one of the first things u think of when Valentine's Day is mentioned? A heart. How about the Fourth of July? The American Flag or firecrackers. What about St. Patrick's Day? A leprechaun or a four leaf clover, maybe. Symbols help us in more ways. Ever see a biohazard symbol? You probably stray away from those. When you recycle, what do you see on those recycling containers? Those green arrows forming a triangle. Do you remember those good old days whenever you saw those mouse ears, joy would fill your heart? However, there is an up side. Analyzing literature would be much easier without paying attention to symbols. Who cares about some stupid cat that breaks a dish? Apparently authors do and place the burden of hunting down such trifling details to us, the students.