Final answer:
In English literature, text passages, including those mentioning Ralph, employ symbolism and metaphor to convey profound philosophical themes and personal transformations. Symbolism is utilized to express complex ideas and emotions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage “Ralph, face by the... stood on his head and feeling,” alongside other excerpts, appear to discuss philosophical and existential themes, often using metaphor and symbolism. In English literature, such text would be analyzed for its figurative meaning and its place within the larger context of the work.
For example, the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson about becoming a “transparent eyeball” represents the intention of Luminist painters to explore themes of light and vision, and how this relates to one's perception of self and the divine. Other passages reference moments of personal transformation or profound realization.
Moreover, literary analysis often looks for symbols that represent larger concepts, as seen in the description of Dr. Harris where a divine figure is breaking a mandorla shape, symbolizing divinity, or the figures pulling at their hair in Steven's comment, indicating mourning. These symbols are chosen to convey deep emotional states or philosophical ideas that are central to the narratives or artistic expressions being described.