Bohemian Gothic Tarot

XIX THE SUN

Lighter or more conventional meanings

Happiness, joy and optimism * Self-confidence, things look bright * Success * Enlightenment and insight * Clarity and a flash of understanding.

Darker, shadow or more hidden meanings

Growing shadows * The situation seems clear, but there are hidden factors * Feeling that your vision should be followed, no matter what it takes and no matter the harm it may do to others * A flash of insight that could in fact be misleading * Over-confidence, being too sure of yourself * Success, but achieved at great cost to yourself or others * Feeling burnt out.

The tarot Sun stands for clarity, clear sight and confidence; a time in which things seem simple, undisguised and full of promise. However, in the Bohemian Gothic depiction things are far from straightforward and the image is full of ambiguities. Yes, there are strong, bright beams of sunlight piercing through the general twilight gloom of the scene and the stern sun symbols over the archway are golden and glowing. But there are shadows all around, and in the distance, through the archway, the last light of a sunset glows on bare tree branches. What we are seeing is the dying rays of the sun, and all is about to turn darker and altogether more murky.

Like so many of the characters in this deck, the central figure looks straight out and meets the eyes of the viewer. A pretty, blond boy, he ought to be an entirely attractive figure, but in fact his set expression and glowing eyes make us uneasy. This is a child, if child he really is, who is altogether too confident.

In the Gothic genre we encounter many children who are unsettling or even threatening. This is true of famous 19th century classics such as Henry James' Turn of the Screw, in which the two sweet children at the heart of the story may or may not be in collusion with devilish ghosts. The theme continues right up to the present day with many stories playing on the idea of evil children such as Koji Suzaki's The Ring, with its horrific central demon child, and Stephen King's Children of the Corn, The Shining and Salem's Lot (which, like Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire features a child vampire) - all of which, incidentally, have been made into popular on-screen adaptations.

When you interpret this Sun card in a reading, look carefully at the range of potential meanings. It certainly suggests a burst of clarity, but this might not necessarily be a good thing. It could indicate someone who is so sure of their own vision and insight that they will pursue it whether or not they have to ride roughshod over others. The small boy on this card seems utterly confident in himself, to the point of arrogance. The marvellous feeling of suddenly seeing clearly and knowing it all carries its own dangers.

Some further ways to consider this card

There are several cards in this deck that show children. How does the Sun compare with a card like the Page of Pentacles, The Empress or the Six of Cups?

He was incredibly beautiful, and Mrs. Grose had put her finger on it: everything but a sort of passion of tenderness for him was swept away by his presence. What I then and there took him to my heart for was something divine that I have never found to the same degree in any child - his indescribable little air of knowing nothing in the world but love.
- Henry James, The Turn of the Screw.