Many works of literature can be analyzed in many different ways. In the movie "The Sixth Sense" many aspects of the movie portray a great deal of religious symbolism. I will use the New Criticism approach to analyze these symbols. The uses of religious symbolism include Cole's religious figurines taken from the church, the many trips and prayers in the chapel and the numerous prayers Cole's says during the times he is frightened by the ghosts he sees.
             Cole's religious figurines he has set up in his man-made red tent of Jesus, Virgin Mary and many angels is a way Cole tries to prevent the ghosts and demons from interfering with him. What is ironic about these figures is the fact that he stole them from a church, a religious building and betraying god's words of "It is wrong to steal". Cole believes that these figures will allow god to protect him from these ghosts who he thinks are trying to kill him, but are really only trying to come to him for help as he thinks he is going to god for help with the figurines. Another ironic aspect to this is that Cole is afraid of the ghosts, but the only person he can talk to about his problems is the Doctor, who in turn is a ghost himself, who doesn't realize so. By keeping this distress to himself, Cole feels his life is uncontrollable and can not live a normal childhood like he would like. All of this is too much for a boy of young age to deal with, without the support of a older figure, but his mother still expects him to act like a normal child.
             Many times during the movie Cole visits the church sanctuary to pray to god for help. This location denotes good faith and godly duties, yet his youth is still plagued by the never-ending haunt of ghostly creature interfering with his conviction to god. The church denotes a false sense of a safe place in the movie. Cole often tells of the ghosts he sees, but i
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