Anchor as Hope

I have a strong conviction that the anchor means hope. (Now, what hope means, that's a different matter . . .)

When I was a kid, there was jewelry making the rounds that had cross, anchor, and heart charms, for the theological virtues/1 Corinthians 13 verses, faith, hope, and love.

Then there is the Game of Hope, the goal of which was to land on the next to the last card, anchor, instead of the last card, cross. (Is this the origin of the cross having a negative meaning?)

And now, here's the seal of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. (I saw it on a letter we received at work today.) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seal_of_the_Governor_of_Rhode_Island.svg

So does the anchor basically mean hope to you? Why or why not?

The only way i could read Anchor as hope would be to do with the "hope" of the stability that the Anchor would be bring or of finally reaching your goals/your destination.

So yes i understand what you mean about "hope" but have never personally up to now used it as hope.

Personally i don't think i could use this card as hope as my card for this is Stars, Anchor to me doesn't really work for hope.

Hi Rachelcat!

Agree with Sharla - and also about Stars being my hope card - though I do understand why you would read it that way, after reading your meanings! For me Anchor means security, stability, and being or feeling grounded, when surrounded by positive cards.

If it is surrounded by negative cards, I would read it as being stuck in a situation, feeling like my hands are tied, unable to move forward. ETA in a rut, even.

I think maybe it was Rana George who gave one of Anchor's meanings as being a port in a storm...? (sorry, I have read so many Lennie books, I can't always remember what quote is from which!) That might go with your meaning of hope.

Ah, hope--for stability and safety. That makes good sense.

I'm sure back in the day Rhode Island was a safe port, and many sailors hoped to get there safely! (And thanked Providence when they did! )

I thought maybe the anchor was used for hope in the Cary-Yale Visconti, Mantenga, and Minchiate decks, but no, in all three, hope is represented by someone with their hands folded in prayer and held aloft toward heaven.

I'm going to keep on the lookout for anchors, though, just to boost my theory!

It seems to me the standard meaning of "reaching destinations" can certainly qualify as hope.

One of the original meanings of the Anchor is hope, precisely because it is a Christian symbol of hope.

YES, there IS an anchor on the Cary-Yale Visconti Hope card.

(I'm scrolling through the cards on the Beinecke Library site in frustration over not being able to afford the new Il Meneghello repro, but I'm afraid it's just convincing me to spend money I don't have!)