Flyign A Red Kite Symbolism

6 Pages 1460 Words

The short story “Flying a Red Kite” by Hugh Hood, the flying of a red kite turns the human spirit into a sacrament; which has no shame. The story begins with signs that things have gone awry. Only trough the natural symbol of the red kite can the protagonist Fred Calvert (who’s surname forms an association with Calvary), be relived of the tried spirit of being human. The problem Fred faces is establishing a connection between a red kite, and God’s love for him. According to Copoloff (1989): “the emblematic red kite symbolizes the joining of heaven and earth, and [Fred is] evaluated according to [his] ability to integrate the two. Loss over faith in the church, Fred is in need of rejuvenation to regain his faith. In this paper, I will argue that Fred lost his faith, and regained it through the simple act of flying a red kite.
Fred begin riding home on the bus on a hot sticky Saturday afternoon (In the Bible Saturday is significant as holy Saturday, the day before the resurrection). The ride begins badly as Fred attempts not to lose his parcels, goes to the wrong bus stop; which waddles up “like an indecent old cow” (Hood, 68). The entire world was moving so fast around him as though he didn’t even exist: “ The woman pushed furiously past him while the rest of the line clamoured in the rear” (Hood, 68). The significance of the events in this particular day are examples of Fred’s life without Christ. Just as the day of “summer dust heat” (Hood 68) peaked in it’s misery the narrator mentions the kite: “two flimsy wooden sticks rolled up in red plastic film”(Hood, 69). The wooden sticks represent the cross Christ was crucified on for the sins of man kind. The red film represents the blood Christ shed. Evidence that Christ is no longer a strong influence in Fred’s life includes the panhandler that approached Fred three times, and every time he gave him something but despised “ himself with e...