In this painting, Swans Reflecting Elephants, Dali employed his "Paranoic-Critical Method" to produce the double images of the swans reflecting the elephents. As one can plainly see, the bodies, necks and heads of the swans are reflected in the lake to produce the heads and trunks of the elephants. Likewise, the island behind the swans and the fall-inflicted trees reflect the bodies and legs of the elephants. I've always been stumped on this painting. It seems to me, though, that this painting could represent the falsities of modern society. Swans are associated with beauty and elephants are associated with wisdom. It could be saying that beauty imparts wisdom. Of course we know that that is a false statement. I believe that is why Dali, who is pictured in the left corner, has his back turned on it. He knows this to be a flase statement therefore does not wish to partake in viewing such an attrocious concept. There are other elements in this painting which I am unsure of. First, the thing that has always stumped me is what looks like a piece of red cloth dangling from the tree to the far left. Second, the two cloud formations. One appears to be that of a person pondering something. It seems as though this could reflect the viewer of the painting as they look on in unknowing wonder at what this picture is trying to say. The last thing that stumps me about this painting is the creature that appears in the foreground before the lake. It seems as though it is an underdeveloped swan or maybe the "ugly duckling". It seems as though it is trying to be a part of the "group". This could represent the struggle that some people go through in order to "fit in". In the background there is a Catalonian landscape, common to Dali's paintings.