Circles as Symbols and Themes in Literature

“…the routine of life goes on, whatever happens, we do the same things, go through the little performance of eating, sleeping, washing. No crisis can break through the crust of habit.”
― Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca

“Circles are not just geometrical symbols but are also what makes life possible. The sun is a circle, and so is the moon, and even more importantly, so is the cycle of life. Circles are also an intricate part of nature; time occurs in repetitive cycles in the form of days, months, and years, and seasons of the year occur in repetitive cycles of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It’s, therefore, no wonder that the astronomer-physicist Chet Raymo says that all beginnings wear their endings.

What Are Circles?
“According to the Oxford dictionary, a circle is a plane figure, round in shape whose boundary, also known as a circumference, is equidistant from the center. As Pythagoras, the ancient Greek philosopher, and mathematician, puts it, circles are the most creative form. He goes ahead to name them “monad,” which means “a single unit” because circles lack a beginning and an end, nor do they have sides or corners.”  https://symbolsage.com/circle-symbolism-meaning/

 

I consider it one of my greatest blessings that I was able to see The Lion King on Broadway.

Long before I saw the Lion King on Broadway, I was stunned by Disney’s telling the story:

Loud and clear, the salient message of The Lion King is that life is circular–it never ends. Rituals are born out of the circularity of living. Often, the ritualistic cycles can be constrictive and damaging: