10 Symbols in Jack and the Beanstalk

A cow in the story of Jack and the Beanstalk serves as a symbol of motherhood. Mother takes care of all Jack's needs but her time is running out. She is not capable of nourishing him forever. He has to grow up. Sending the cow to the fair and assigning him this task addresses both issues. Mother is stepping back, Jack is starting to take responsibility.

Cows are also closely associated with generosity, innocence, and sacrifice.

Milk symbolizes abundance. While we are informed about Jack's and his mom's poverty right at the beginning of the story, they still have a cow who serves all their needs. Basically, they are actually all right. Two real problems are exposed right after that:

• milk is running out,
• basic needs are not enough.

Milk is a symbol of feminity. The only woman in Jack's life is his mother and this is enough for a child. But as we see, he is not a child anymore. Or, at least he should start acting like an adult.

Image used under Creative Commons licence 4.0

Beans are seeds. All seeds are closely connected to the potential. Seeds are all about the future. Beans are especially well known for their hardiness and perseverance. A bean can also represent resurrection which is clearly seen in some versions of the fairy tale where Jack is not just simply stealing stuff from the giant but is getting back his father's possession, taken many years ago by the giant.

On a symbolic level such explanations of Jack's actions are redundant. He is growing up, he is taking risks, he is improving his life, and beans contain all that.

Beanstalk is a masculine symbol. It's growing up and high. The growth didn't happen overnight (actually and symbolically, again) by accident. A boy is turning into a man. But just having a beanstalk, no matter how high it is, is not enough. To really become a man he has to take action. Jack doesn't hesitate for a single moment. He immediately starts climbing.

Beanstalk in literature is also a symbol of social climbing. Due to its fast growth, it tells us that Jack is not just making improvements in his life but that he is doing that fast.

Clouds are a popular symbol of change. They are not air or water but something in between. When we see clouds we don't know what to expect. Will they part? Did they bring rain? Will they vanish or persist? We can always perceive it as something unexpected. Something on the verge of present and future time.

Traditionally we put heaven in the sky, above the clouds. We imagine heaven as a better, if not a perfect world, just like many children imagine the world of grown-ups where everything is possible in comparison to their present reality with countless limitations.

We can also see clouds as a symbol of Jack's change. He enters the layer of clouds as a boy and comes out as a man.

When Jack comes to the giant's castle he is not ready for a direct confrontation. He is not physically strong enough for that. When the giant returns, Jack hides in the oven, a classical symbol of a womb. This suggests Jack's regression. He would rather stay a child than fight the mighty opponent. The womb is the safest place in the world. Mommy takes care of everything.

But the oven is also associated with heat which some associate with hell. While there are obvious similarities (Jack definitely didn't feel great in the oven while the giant was sniffing around), an oven is a place where something can stay just temporarily while the hell is forever.

Oven is a popular symbol used in many other fairy tales although in different contexts. Hansel and Gretel or The Goose Girl would be just two of the examples.

Gold is a symbol of wealth and success. While gold is also associated with durability (it doesn't corrode as most other metals), gold coins don't last for an indefinite time. They are spendable and the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalks tells just that.

Jack brings bags of gold coins home but all this wealth is spent in a relatively short time. It seems that even an old cow (before it became too old) gave more security and predictability to Jack's and his mom's lives.

Golden eggs are similar to golden coins just at first sight. They have one major advantage. They are coming to Jack's home every single day. If coins present money, eggs present passive income. In a way, this magical hen is a replacement for an old cow. They both provided stability to Jack's household, but on a different level, of course.

The egg (being golden or not) has other symbolic meanings as well. It is associated with new life, beginnings, and eternity. More about that in Easter symbols.

The harp is a symbol of art and a higher being. While gold coins and a harp are beautiful, gold acts earthy and materialistic while the harp suggests something heavenly (its music is among all instruments most often described as celestial).

When Jack takes the giant's singing harp we know that he is over purely material way of life. He wants more. He doesn't have to know exactly what but food on the table and a roof over his head are obviously not good enough for him. Harp, as a representation of creativity, suggests he is ready to make something of his life.

An axe can be seen as a tool and as a weapon. It can be used for destruction and creation. Usage of the axe for cutting down the beanstalk has strong symbolic significance. The beanstalk serves as the connection between Jack's old simple life and the giant's fantasy world. Jack can use it both ways. When it's cut down, only one world is possible. His world.

The axe is used to disconnect the symbolical umbilical cord and it's no coincidence that Jack's mother brings it but is unable to use it. The axe should be used by Jack and nobody else. He is the one who has to grow up and take the risks of the adult world. He is the one who has to defeat the giant, his symbolic father, to start his own life with all the pros and cons.

All used illustrations are Public Domain:

https://robert-anning-bell.weebly.com/jack-and-the-beanstalk.html/
https://myfairyland.jimdofree.com/giant/jack-and-the-beanstalk-in-pictures/
https://themesoffairytales.exblog.jp/33540450/