Buddhists in Sri Lanka celebrate the festival of Vesak to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. According to the Buddhist calendar, it falls on the full moon day in May, this year on the 14th. To honour Buddha’s teaching, people are encouraged to keep to the Five Precepts, to cook free meals and give alms, to go to the temple and to make donations as well as spend time with their family and sing devotional songs. It is customary to decorate house and garden with beautiful lanterns crafted from reeds, string and paper. Huge pandals with dozens of coloured lights depict scenes from Buddha’s life. Strings of lights are seen on balconies and roofes, in gardens and on walls, a little like during Christmas. You can find some photos here, but they don’t do the magical beauty justice.
As so much during the Vesak festival revolves around light—as a sign for enlightenment—I want to dedicate today’s article to the symbolism of light in literature.
As so much during the Vesak festival revolves around light—as a sign for enlightenment—I want to dedicate today’s article to the symbolism of light in literature.
Going into the Light
A symbol of hope
The many phrases and idioms we use make it clear that we can use light in writing to create a sense of hope. From the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” to the “beacon of light” shining bright, there is a sense of coming home, of feeling safe and of finding a solution. We can feel cleansed by light because it symbolizes purity.
No life without light
Only with enough light is growth and life possible, so it can be understood as a life-giving power. When a new day dawns, the light brings possibilities and prospects or news with it.
Light against dark
In many novels, the heroine / hero will have fair skin, wear light-coloured clothes and be associated with light rather than darkness. There are exceptions, of course, such as in paranormal romance, but in general, good = light and bad = dark. Darkness and evil forces are overcome by the main character in a story, by “shining light” on a hidden truth or by reestablishing goodness and calm. He / she can serve as a “guiding light” for others, be “the light of life” for a significant other or help to “see things in a different light”.
Light means enlightenment
Not only in Buddhism and Christianity—Let there be light, Bible—but in almost all religions will you find that light plays a pivotal role. It stands for transcendence, faith and innocence. We associate it with wisdom, intelligence and learning, as a counterpart to “being kept in the dark”. That explains the ceremonial use of lights.
How to use light symbols when writing fiction
- Let a protagonist in a book light a candle… to pray, to let it shine through the window and lead somebody to them, to feel at ease and chase the demons away, to remember.
- Lighthouses carry a powerful meaning, especially if your story revolves around traveling, people gone to sea or somebody returning home.
- Use the contrast between light and dark to characterize people or to create a certain atmosphere. Describe how sunlight looks on a certain plant, how moonlight effects the night, how the light cast by a torch slowly reveals something.
- Remember that light can also have a negative effect on some, e. g. sunlight as a destructive force for vampires. This very avoidance of something usually viewed positively lends depth to the topic.
- Emphasize how important somebody is to a character by comparing him to the sun and by using words associated with light, fire, sparks etc. to describe love and attraction.
The many phrases and idioms we use make it clear that we can use light in writing to create a sense of hope. From the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” to the “beacon of light” shining bright, there is a sense of coming home, of feeling safe and of finding a solution. We can feel cleansed by light because it symbolizes purity.
No life without light
Only with enough light is growth and life possible, so it can be understood as a life-giving power. When a new day dawns, the light brings possibilities and prospects or news with it.
Light against dark
In many novels, the heroine / hero will have fair skin, wear light-coloured clothes and be associated with light rather than darkness. There are exceptions, of course, such as in paranormal romance, but in general, good = light and bad = dark. Darkness and evil forces are overcome by the main character in a story, by “shining light” on a hidden truth or by reestablishing goodness and calm. He / she can serve as a “guiding light” for others, be “the light of life” for a significant other or help to “see things in a different light”.
Light means enlightenment
Not only in Buddhism and Christianity—Let there be light, Bible—but in almost all religions will you find that light plays a pivotal role. It stands for transcendence, faith and innocence. We associate it with wisdom, intelligence and learning, as a counterpart to “being kept in the dark”. That explains the ceremonial use of lights.
How to use light symbols when writing fiction
- Let a protagonist in a book light a candle… to pray, to let it shine through the window and lead somebody to them, to feel at ease and chase the demons away, to remember.
- Lighthouses carry a powerful meaning, especially if your story revolves around traveling, people gone to sea or somebody returning home.
- Use the contrast between light and dark to characterize people or to create a certain atmosphere. Describe how sunlight looks on a certain plant, how moonlight effects the night, how the light cast by a torch slowly reveals something.
- Remember that light can also have a negative effect on some, e. g. sunlight as a destructive force for vampires. This very avoidance of something usually viewed positively lends depth to the topic.
- Emphasize how important somebody is to a character by comparing him to the sun and by using words associated with light, fire, sparks etc. to describe love and attraction.
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