

For example, sea glass might be used as a fairly obvious symbol in one text, and a more subtle symbol in another:

It's worth recognizing the ways that some symbols can be obvious, while others might be less so. Some symbols, though, are much easier to identify than others. Writers employ a wide variety of symbols to deepen the meaning of their work. While the act of cutting off the hair is neither an object nor a character, but it would still be an example of symbolism. For example, while a character's long, wild hair might symbolize a period of youth or innocence, a scene in which the character chops off his or her long hair might symbolize a loss of innocence-or the sacrifices people have to make in the process of becoming a mature adult with responsibilities. Symbolism through events: Events can also be symbolic.For example, in Edmund Spenser's famous allegorical poem, The Faeirie Queene, the female knight Britomart is a symbol of the values of chastity and restraint, traits which many 16th-century readers held in high esteem. Symbolism through characters: Sometimes, characters themselves can serve as symbols-of a particular virtue or vice, or of a political ideology.For example, a poet might write a poem about a flower dancing in the wind in order to convey a sense of innocence, harmony with nature, or sheer happiness. Symbolism through physical objects: Most often, physical objects are used to symbolize an idea or concept, as a way of pointing the reader towards some of the basic themes that a work is dealing with.Here's a brief overview of how each type of symbolism works:
TEN FAVORITE TEXT SYMBOLS HOW TO
Here's how to pronounce symbolism: sim-buh-liz-uhm Types of SymbolismĪ symbol can be a physical object, a character, or an event.

A famous example of a symbol in literature occurs in To Kill a Mockingbird, when Atticus tells his children Jem and Scout that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird because mockingbirds cause no harm to anyone they just sing. Characters and events can also be symbolic. A strong symbol usually shares a set of key characteristics with whatever it is meant to symbolize, or is related to it in some other way. Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thing-usually a physical object or phenomenon-to represent something more abstract. What is symbolism? Here’s a quick and simple definition:
