Journal #4

Knives, are clearly prominent throughout the entire play. In the first scene and throughout the rest of the tragedy, the knives represent death. Mother is very afraid of them, as she thinks they are dangerous because the Bridegroom's brother and father were both killed my knives. Additionally, Lorca includes the knife many times in the first scene to foreshadow the deaths of the Bridegroom and the father, who were killed by a knife. The knife also serves as a divide between the community and also the separation between Mother and the Felix's family. The community is divided because Mother and the Bridegroom live on a farm that is a good distance from the farm that the Bride lives on. The second symbol that appeared in the first scene were the vineyards. I noticed that the knife was used to cut the grapes. Mother is scared of the vineyards because she does not want the Bridegroom to get hurt, but that she may be somewhat skeptical of the wealthy because the people that own the vineyards are typically wealthy. Also, Lorca himself said he did not like growing up into a priveleged family so I believe he put the vineyards in to show the difference between the rich and poor. Therefore, through the vineyards and knives, Lorca illuminates the divide between the wealthy and poor people.