What do cigarettes symbolize in a story?

Question

The man smokes a lot.

Story was written in 1940s in Germany

The story is Murke's Collected Silences

Answer 1

Well, I suppose I will free-associate and analyze this (it helps if you can type as fast as you can think).

I have the good fortune of looking at cigarettes from both sides. I was a heavy smoker for 30 years. I do not smoke now but I see (and smell) others smoking. Therefore, from my point of view, the man that smokes a lot needs input and he's not getting it. He needs oral gratification. Whether that be exocentric or egocentric. He either speaks to his heart's content to a rapt audience, or that audience feeds the hungry bee (the man) to where his cravings are satisfied.

The symbology of cigarettes in a story is that it is easy to learn to crave something. Maybe this is hard-wired into the biology of the human psyche for survival reasons. The flip side is that it is very transcendental, deeply philosophic (as in Eastern thought) to challenge those desires, and through strength of will, defeat the desire to want things.

There is much wisdom in this. Siddartha Buddha is not just a happy story told to Indian children. Siddartha was actually on to something there. It has been studied, repeated, and verified that one can achieve peace and happiness by letting go of things.

Even in American rock culture, if you remember the song "Dust in the Wind" it suggests:

Don't hang on. Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.
It slips away, and all your money, not another minute buys --
Dust in the wind.

Answer 2

I'm gonna go with the phallic symbol as well. I know that in film women smoked cigarettes during the Production Code Era as a way of symbolizing sex in a time where filmakers weren't allowed to talk about it.
I guess if a man is smoking a cigarette a lot he has sexual hangups/insecurities.
I'd be willing to bet that over lack of willpower, foreshadowing lung cancer...

Answer 3

Depends entirely on the story!

For example, in Ayn Rand's work, cigarettes symbolize man's domination over fire. I don't know what story you're reading, but I'm pretty sure that the cigs symbolize something rather different in it... weakness, disease, lack of willpower, whatever. It's really not possible to say what they symbolize in the particular story you're talking about, since we have no idea what that story is.

Answer 4

It does depend on when the book was written. If it is early 20th century it actually depicts health and wealth. Things were a little backward then.

Answer 5

The cigarette is a phallic symbol. The man is unsure about his masculinity.

Answer 6

i didn,t read this book but though the answer depends on the story i can say it means someone so nervous and a kind of fore shadowing for a bad happening.

Answer 7

“nicely shiver me timbers! Avast ye landlubbers if aint previous Sunshine’s Birthday oh argghh. chuffed Birthday youthful-un!” Sunshine became awe-struck. She had expected something “different” whilst Silva mentioned she had something coated up from television land for Sunshine’s birthday. Sunny became looking forward to perchance a meeting with James Arness or a in my opinion signed image, yet no…..Pirate Pete from the morning little ones software in basic terms called out her call. Sunshine tried to be cheery yet became for sure dissatisfied. Silva exceeded her a ingesting mug and mentioned “here, it’s your standard warm Chocolate with Whisky in basic terms such as you mentioned you enjoyed”. Sunshine took the mug and banged it on the espresso table. “Silva” Sunshine chosen her words intently “you comprehend how i like Marshall Matt, how I surely TREASURE and adore him! He and Gunsmoke symbolise all it fairly is super appropriate to the liberty we've a good time with in our stunning united states and he in basic terms transports me to fantasyland as quickly as I see him on television. And what did you do for MY BIRTHDAY? You get Pirate Pete to deliver me a cheerio. What the heck have been you questioning? I don ‘t think of you comprehend me in any respect! i presumed you have been my buddy. i'm in basic terms so mad and in basic terms, in basic terms dumbfounded!”. next 2d the doorbell rang. On her thank you to respond to it Sunshine yelled “I wager it is super fowl with a making a track Telegram” and with that she jerked open the door and there stood Matt infant himself, the tall and stunning James Dillon wearing a gaggle of pink roses……Sunshine feinted at his ft. “i assume this may well be Sunshine” James mentioned slowly. Silva in basic terms cackled ….. the tip

Answer 8

Probably a foreshadowing of death or a bad habbit he cannot let go of.

Answer 9

that he might be in very bad health because of smoking, run down, wasted, wrinkly.

Answer 10

It is decision set up.