Symbol
Literary term · say it SIM-buhl
A symbol is an object, place, person, or action that suggests a meaning beyond its literal role in a text. A locked door, for example, might suggest exclusion, but the surrounding story must support that reading.
Ways a symbol appears
An object
A physical thing can carry an idea or feeling as well as serve a practical purpose in the story.
In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby reaches toward the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. The distant light suggests his longing for Daisy and the future he hopes to reach.
In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A place
A setting can suggest a larger condition, such as freedom, confinement, or neglect.
In The Secret Garden, Mary enters a garden that has been locked and neglected for years. As she and her companions tend it, its returning life reflects their growing health and happiness.
In The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
An action
An action can suggest something beyond its immediate purpose, such as an attempt to escape guilt.
In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth rubs her hands while sleepwalking, trying to remove imagined blood. Her action suggests guilt that cannot be washed away.
In Macbeth by William Shakespeare
How to spot a symbol
- Notice details that receive unusual attention or appear at important moments.
- Connect those details to the characters' feelings and the story's larger concerns.
- Check that nearby words and events support the meaning you suggest.
What is the difference between a symbol and a metaphor?
A symbol carries an additional meaning, while a metaphor describes one thing as another. A storm in a story might symbolize inner turmoil without being called turmoil. A metaphor might describe a character's anger as a storm.
Does a symbol always have one fixed meaning?
A symbol does not always have one fixed meaning; its meaning depends on the text. A garden might suggest safety in one book and confinement in another. More than one reading can fit, but each needs support from particular details.
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