“A sailor,” Zachariah said, “chooses the wind and takes the ship from safe port…but winds have a mind of their own.”Įvery time Charlotte changes her clothes, there seems to be a change within Charlotte as well.

She goes to the wharf and finds the Seahawk. She again changes out of her lady like dresses and puts on the seaman garments. She finds the dress confining, which symbolizes how she feels about her life as a young lady in America.Ĭharlotte says, “I felt so much pinched and confined I found it difficult to breathe.”Īfter her father forbids Charlotte to discuss her voyage and keeps her in room to read, Charlotte decides to climb out her window and leave. When she finally makes it to America, she must change out of her seaman’s garments to meet her family. When she changes into the pants and blouse, she begins her transformation from an obedient young lady to a self-assured young woman.Ĭharlotte tells Fisk, “I’ve come…to be one of the crew.” She changes into the canvas seaman’s garments that Zachariah made for her. Later on the ship after she angers Captain Jaggery and believes Zachariah to be dead, she decides to help the crew. “.bonnet covering my beautiful hair, full skirts, high button shoes, and you may be sure, white gloves.” She was the symbol of femininity for the 1800’s and was obedient to a fault to her father. When the reader first meets Charlotte, she is dressed by her family to be a young woman. The symbol can be obvious or understated, and usually supports a theme in the literature. It is usually an object or character that is mentioned often in the literature, which means it is important. A symbol is something that represents or stands for an idea or set of ideas and gives deeper meaning to the story.

The true story of charlotte doyle