Schoolhouse.world: peer tutoring, for free.
Schoolhouse.world: peer tutoring, for free.
Schoolhouse.world: peer tutoring, for free.
“Uncovering Hidden Meanings: Exploring Themes and Symbols in Literature

SAT Score Range

7 sessions

+10

About

Every story has layers — beyond the characters and plot are deeper messages about life, society, and human nature. In this session, we’ll explore how authors use symbols (like light, colors, or nature) to express themes such as identity, freedom, and morality.

We’ll practice close reading techniques to identify these patterns, discuss what they represent, and connect them to the story’s larger meaning. Whether you love reading or want to strengthen your literary analysis skills for class, this session will help you see stories in a whole new way ✨

Tutored by

Shelley P 🇺🇸

View Profile

Hi there, my name is Shelley, I joined this platform to grow, expand my knowledge, and help others by offering my tutoring skills.

✋ ATTENDANCE POLICY

If you can’t make it to a session, no worries at all! Just let me know in advance that you won’t be attending. I completely understand that things come up and schedules can get busy, communication is all I ask

SESSION 1

25

Oct

SESSION 1

Other Topics

Other Topics

Sat 11:30 PM - Sun, 12:45 AM UTCOct 25, 11:30 PM - Oct 26, 12:45 AM UTC

Why does Bartleby “prefer not to”? What do Melville’s walls, silence, and loneliness really mean?
In this session, we’ll explore the symbols and themes in Bartleby, the Scrivener to understand how Melville uses simple details to reveal deep ideas about isolation, freedom, and compassion.

We’ll break down key passages, discuss major symbols (like walls and the phrase “I would prefer not to”), and connect them to themes like alienation, morality, and empathy.
No prior literary analysis experience is needed — just curiosity and a love for stories that make you think!
SESSION 2

9

Nov

SESSION 2

Other Topics

Other Topics

Sun 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM UTCNov 9, 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM UTC

What happens when someone we trust leads us into darkness? In this session, we’ll explore Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown to uncover how symbols and themes show the struggle between faith, morality, and temptation.
We’ll analyze key symbols — the forest, Faith’s pink ribbons, and the mysterious travelers — and discuss how they reveal deeper truths about human nature and belief.

SESSION 3

23

Nov

SESSION 3

Other Topics

Other Topics

Sun 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTCNov 23, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTC

In this session, we’ll dive into “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman , a short story that explores themes of gender roles, mental health, and societal control. Together, we’ll analyze how the narrator’s isolation impacts her mind and how Gilman uses symbolism, setting, and tone to critique patriarchal authority in the 19th century.
SESSION 4

7

Dec

SESSION 4

Poetry

Poetry

Sun 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTCDec 7, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTC

In this session, we will explore Emily Dickinson’s haunting poem “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain.” We’ll break down the metaphor of the “funeral,” discuss how Dickinson uses sound imagery to convey mental collapse, and interpret the poem’s final moment of psychological “falling.” Students will practice close reading and learn how to analyze abstract poetry with confidence.
SESSION 5

14

Dec

SESSION 5

Other Topics

Other Topics

Sun 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTCDec 14, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTC

This short session dives into Ezra Pound’s two-line imagist masterpiece “In a Station of the Metro.” We will examine Pound’s philosophy of Imagism, how to unpack deep meaning in extremely brief poetry, and what makes this poem revolutionary. Students will practice close reading a poem with only 14 words and learn how images create emotion.
SESSION 6

11

Jan

SESSION 6

Other

Other

Sun 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTCJan 11, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTC

In this session, we will analyze Hemingway’s short story “In Another Country” (or **“Soldier’s Home,” instructor’s choice). Students will learn how Hemingway uses sparse language to express trauma, war experiences, and emotional isolation. We'll explore the Iceberg Theory and how unspoken emotions create meaning.
SESSION 7

18

Jan

SESSION 7

Other Topics

Other Topics

Sun 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTCJan 18, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM UTC

This session focuses on Thomas Wolfe’s vivid story “Only the Dead Know Brooklyn.” Students will analyze the narrator’s strong dialect, the theme of urban mystery, and how place shapes identity. We’ll break down how Wolfe uses voice to create atmosphere and explore the deeper meaning of “knowing” a city.

Public Discussion

Please log in to see discussion on this series.

Oct 25 - Jan 18

13 weeks

60 - 75 mins

/ session

Next session on January 11, 2026

SCHEDULE

Sundays

2:45PM