Writers Helping Writers provides five ways to use symbolism in your writing. Here is a list of conventional symbols found in literature and their meanings. Definition, Usage, and Literary Examples. Symbolism Definition. Examples of Symbolism. How Writers Express Symbolism.
Concepts Conveyed through Symbolism. Why Writers Use Symbolism. Symbolism and Related Terms. Symbolism Outside of Literature. Examples of Symbolism in Literature. Further Resources on Symbolism. Related Terms. Symbolism Definition Symbolism SIM-buh-liz-uhm is when an object, person, or place represents an abstract idea beyond its literal meaning.
Examples of Symbolism Symbolism exists beyond literature and can be found in everyday life. Colors: Most colors are associated with a feeling or meaning. White symbolizes purity, red is love, green is envy, and yellow is joy and friendship. Red is also known to symbolize stopping, which is evident in stop signs and traffic lights.
When red and green are placed together, such as on a Wi-Fi router, red means something is wrong, and green means everything is functioning correctly. Animals: An animal can be symbolic based on its characteristics or its association with a holiday or event.
Lions symbolize courage and majesty due to their ranking in the animal kingdom, and black cats symbolize bad luck or spookiness because of their association with Halloween.
Objects: Everyday objects can represent a myriad of ideas. Balloons, for example, symbolize celebration, and a rose can represent romance. How Writers Express Symbolism Symbolism in writing is generally expressed in three ways: through the characters, objects, or events of the piece. Objects Symbolism in literature most commonly comes through in objects, which can help the reader understand a complex theme of the plot. Events Sometimes, an author uses an occurrence in the plot to act as symbolism.
Fourthly, night has the connectivity with darkness as it is used as a tool of symbolism. Apart from darkness, night can be meant to be peace or tranquility. Fifth point of common symbol could be the opposite connotation of night, like day. Day symbolizes as the rising of sun, representing new life and light.
In order to get an insight into the writers mind is such an opportunity a reader gets through the uses of symbols in a paper. Through this opportunity a reader can reveals how a writer views the world and a common action or object can be illustrated from a broader aspect. Symbolism thus leaves the scope of revealing dual level of meaning to the writer.
One is the literal meaning which is self-apparent, while the other one is symbolic which reveals far more profound understanding than the literal one. In a way symbolism gives freedom to get out of the monotonous track of writing and evoking the universality to the characters and themes of a piece of literature. Share to Twitter Share to Facebook. Newer Post Older Post Home. Subscribe to: Post Comments Atom. Find Us Join Us:.
Ice, in the poem, symbolizes destructive and withholding emotions such as hate, indifference, loneliness, and isolation. Of course, the poet indicates to the reader that the literal meanings of fire and ice make them capable of destroying and ending the world.
Everyday words, objects, and even concepts often have more than a single meaning. Across time, certain aspects of everyday life and experience evolve in meaning and associated significance, making them symbols of something besides what they actually are.
Here are some common examples of symbolism in everyday life:. Writers utilize many types of symbolism, both as a way to convey meaning to their overall readership and as a method of allowing individual readers to make their own interpretations and discover meaning.
Symbolism is a device utilized by many film artists as well. Symbolism in cinema allows the audience to make connections and understand meaning, adding to both the entertainment and thematic value of a film.
Here are some famous examples of symbolism in well-known movies:. Symbolism and motif are both effective literary devices that can appear to be synonymous or interchangeable.
For example:. However, a closed window can also signify entrapment. While you may not think much about symbols in your everyday life, in literature it is important to take note of key symbols in order to get a deeper understanding of the work.
Becoming familiar with the following symbols can help deepen your reading or writing experience. Rivers: In literature, rivers are typically symbols of life.
Rivers can also symbolize freedom. Rain: Rain usually symbolizes a rebirth or a turning point. Like a baptism, it often signifies a new start for characters who are caught in it. Spring: Spring is the season of youth, love, and rebirth. Now the fields are brown and barren, Bitter autumn blows, And of all the stupid asters, Not one knows. Summer: Ever notice that most of your favorite coming-of-age books and movies take place in summer?
Summer is often symbolic for maturity or knowledge. When you come across the symbols listed above, ask yourself how these alternative meanings might fit into the context, and consider how they could give extra meaning to the story.
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