Symbols and SymbolismSymbols and Symbolism

A A symbolsymbol is anything that hints at is anything that hints at something else, usually something something else, usually something abstract, such as and idea or belief.abstract, such as and idea or belief.

A A literary symbolliterary symbol is an object, a is an object, a person, a situation, or an action that person, a situation, or an action that has a literal meaning in a story but has a literal meaning in a story but suggests or represents other suggests or represents other meanings.meanings.

Two Types of SymbolsTwo Types of Symbols

GeneralGeneral– A general symbol is A general symbol is

universaluniversal in its in its meaning. Even if a meaning. Even if a general symbol general symbol were removed from were removed from a work of literature, a work of literature, it would still it would still suggest a larger suggest a larger meaning.meaning.

– Ex: RoseEx: Rose

Two Types of SymbolsTwo Types of Symbols SpecificSpecific

– A specific symbol is A specific symbol is not universalnot universal in its in its meaning. It acquires a meaning. It acquires a specific meaning specific meaning based on how it based on how it relates to the content relates to the content of a novel, poem, etc. of a novel, poem, etc. The symbol’s The symbol’s significance exists significance exists only within the only within the content created by content created by the author.the author.

– Ex: Mockingbird in Ex: Mockingbird in To To Kill a MockingbirdKill a Mockingbird

When writing about When writing about symbolism…symbolism…

1.1. Identify the symbol, noting if an Identify the symbol, noting if an objectobject

o Appears repeatedly,Appears repeatedly,o Has an unusually vivid quality,Has an unusually vivid quality,o Is described with language Is described with language

conveying much emphasis, orconveying much emphasis, oro Has more significance than its Has more significance than its

literal reality would suggest.literal reality would suggest.

When writing about When writing about symbolism…symbolism…

2.2. Determine symbolic meanings.Determine symbolic meanings.o Carefully examine how the Carefully examine how the

symbol functions in relation to the symbol functions in relation to the story.story.

o Ask yourself what idea is Ask yourself what idea is represented by the symbol.represented by the symbol.

When writing about When writing about symbolism…symbolism…

3.3. Classify the symbols.Classify the symbols.o Classification may reveal opposite Classification may reveal opposite

relationships, such as symbols of relationships, such as symbols of good and evil, life and death, or good and evil, life and death, or eternal and ephemeral.eternal and ephemeral.

o Symbols may also fall into isolated Symbols may also fall into isolated categories, such as destruction, categories, such as destruction, innocence, or sexuality.innocence, or sexuality.

When writing about When writing about symbolism…symbolism…

4.4. Classify the meaning of a symbol.Classify the meaning of a symbol.o Determine how much depth a Determine how much depth a

particular symbol has and classify its particular symbol has and classify its possible meanings.possible meanings.

o While your paper may focus on only While your paper may focus on only one major symbol, you may be able one major symbol, you may be able to divide it into two specific meanings to divide it into two specific meanings and two general meanings.and two general meanings.

Remember!Remember!

A symbol has a literal meaning in A symbol has a literal meaning in a story but suggests or a story but suggests or represents other meanings.represents other meanings.

Not all symbolism is obvious; Not all symbolism is obvious; often it is subtle and indirect.often it is subtle and indirect.

Symbols in Symbols in The Bluest EyeThe Bluest Eye