“Is That a Symbol?”

What is a symbol?

“In the simplest sense, anything that stands for or

represents something else beyond it – usually an idea

conventionally associated with it…In literary usage,

however, a symbol is a specially evocative kind of image;

that is, a word or phrase referring to a concrete object,

scene, or action which also has some further significance

associated with it.”

- Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms

In Actually Simple Terms:

• A person, place, thing or event that stands for itself and something beyond itself.

• Something you can make associations or connections with.

A Symbol Can Be:• An object

• An image

• A person

• An event

• An action

• A name

• The weather

How Can I Find Symbols in a Text?

Simple – follow your instincts!

– If something comes up often in a text, it’s probably

important.

– If YOU think it’s important, it probably is (Foster

97).

I think I Know What This Symbol Means, But….

A symbol can only stand for one thing, right?

WRONG.

Though most symbols have a limited range of potential

meanings, most can’t be reduced to standing for one thing

(98).

Symbolism vs. Allegory• In an allegory, things represent other things on a one-

for-one basis

• Allegories convey one specific message; if there is

confusion, the allegory has failed.

• Two types of allegory:

– Fable – Uses animal characters to teach practical lessons

– Parable – Uses everyday situations to teach lessons/ morals

• Example: George Orwell’s Animal Farm

“Symbols, though, generally don’t work so neatly. The thing referred

to is likely not reducible to a single statement but will more

probably involve a range of possible meanings and

interpretations” (Foster 98).

-> Having a range of meanings makes the text more

complex and allows for endless possible

interpretations (Foster 99).

So…What Strategies Can I Use to Figure Out What this Symbol Represents?

-Questioning

-Analyzing details

-Make generalizations

Types of Questions to Ask Yourself

• Consider the symbol in general – what does it ordinarily mean?

How does it function? What would a normal person think of it?

• How do the characters of the text consider and interact with the

symbol?

• How does the author employ this symbol? How have other

writers utilized this symbol? (It may be different from writer to

writer.)

• What do I think about this symbol?

“What [something] symbolizes will to a large

extent be determined by how the individual

reader engages the text. Every reader’s

experience of every work is unique, largely

because each person will emphasize various

elements to differing degrees…We bring

individual history to our reading” (101).

Works Cited

Baldick, Chris. “Symbol.” Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.

Beers, et. Alt. “Symbolism.” Elements of Literature. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2009. Print.

Foster, Thomas C. “Is That a Symbol?” How to Read Literature Like a Professor. New York: Harper Collins Books, 2003. Print.

Symbol Analysis Practice

• In small groups, work together to analyze a given symbol: conch, fire, Piggy’s glasses, the scar, the forest, “the beastie”

• On your poster paper, explain the following:– What the symbol means, according to your reading,

how it’s been used in other texts, and what YOU think it stands for

– A quotation which features the symbol and an explanation of what the quote means

– How it relates to the events of chapter 1/2Be prepared to share your answer with the class!