Final answer:
In 'The Mask of the Red Death,' there are seven rooms, each symbolizing a different stage of life, from birth to death. The colors blue, purple, green, orange, white, violet and black and red represent these respective stages.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Mask of the Red Death,' there are seven rooms in the imperial suite. Each room is decorated in a different color which carry significant symbolic implications. The rooms are set from east to west, reminiscent of the sun's path, symbolizing life's journey from birth to death.
Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thing—usually a physical object or phenomenon—to represent something more abstract. A strong symbol usually shares a set of key characteristics with whatever it is meant to symbolize, or is related to it in some other way. Types of symbolism in literature include metaphor, simile, allegory, archetype, allusion, and hyperbole.
The first room, which is blue, signifies birth or the start of life. The second room is purple, representing the passage into adulthood. The third, green, symbolizing the spring of life or prime of life. The fourth, orange, signifies the autumn of life. The fifth, white, reflects old age. The sixth, violet, stands for the imminent presence of death, while the seventh and the last room, which is colored black and red, symbolizes death itself.
Learn more about Symbolism in Literature