What Is a Symbol?A symbol is a person, a place, a thing, or an event that has meaning in itself and also stands for something beyond itself.

Something concrete that stands for something abstract.

•The use of symbols in literature is called symbolism.

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Why Writers Use SymbolsWriters may use symbols to add multiple meanings to their work in order to:

emphasize a theme

reveal character traits

add details to setting and create images for the reader

create mood

signify important events

This leads readers beyond a surface understanding of the text and allows readers to form their own interpretations.

How to Identify Symbols

To identify symbols in a selection watch for: details that seem unusual or out of place

things that are repeated during important events or when talking about the main characters

details that have more than one meaning

Characters, objects, figures, colors

Searching Too Hard

Avoid going overboard when looking for symbols. Not all literary works contain symbols. Be careful not to turn every object or event into a symbol.

While over interpretation can seem to add new meaning to works, it may stray from the writer’s intent.

Are the following statements true or false?

_________- A symbol stands for something other than itself.

_________ -Symbols can only be objects.

_________-Symbols can give multiple meanings to a literary work.

________ - The use of symbols does not help in understanding the characters in the story.

________ - All literary works contain symbols.

What Have You Learned?