Symbols of Hope

The narrative of my animation is a dream like state where in which the audience is taken on a journey of a character who is lost within it. I wanted the character to follow something similar to that in Alice in Wonderland as her symbol of hope - the way of getting home for example. I thought about using a balloon, an animal such as a rabbit, a dove and possibly some sort of flower. Reflecting on my thoughts I didn't want to use something as obvious as a balloon or dove so I began to look into the meanings and significance of certain flowers as my story is set within a forest. I found that the Almond Blossom is a symbol of hope.

'The blossom also signifies hope, while the almond-fruitfulness.'

'Almond symbolises early blooming, being the first tree to blossom-January in Palestine, March in England. It also has religious aspects and is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. The almond blossom on the Aaron's rod shows God's will and communicates it to people giving sweet almonds if people follow the right path, and sour ones if they don't. Almonds symbolize also Mary, the Mother of Christ in lots of paintings. In literature almonds are connected to age being compared to white hairs for their white blossom, and to premature blooming in some works.' (http://www.squidoo.com/symbols-almond-blossom)

So this could work in the way that if the character follows the blossom she will find her way (so her symbol of hope) however as its a reoccurring dream state it could just point her to go around in circles and never find her way out.