What Is a Symbol?
A symbol is anything that stands for, or represents, something else. In a
story, a character, an action, an object, or an animal can be symbolic. Often
these symbols stand for something abstract, like a force of nature, a
condition of the world, or an idea.
This mural is Missouri artist Thomas Hart Benton’s retelling of the ancient
myth of Achelous and Hercules. He moved the setting from ancient Greece
to the American Midwest and gave new meanings to the story’s symbols.
First read the myth by selecting “The Story.” Jot down anything that you
think might be symbolic of something else. What do you think these things
represent? For help, select “Meanings and Second Meanings.”
Then select areas on the mural to learn more about the painting. Did the
artist show all of the details that you thought were symbolic? Did he
change them? How? Did he include other details that might be symbols?
If you find your own meanings in the story, congratulations! You’ve done
just what Thomas Hart Benton did. You’ve created a new story.
Note: This is a synchronistic painting. That means that the artist shows, in
one scene, events that happen at different times in a story.
Meanings and Second Meanings
Symbolism appears in both art and writing. Simile and metaphor appear
only in writing. All of these devices are ways to convey meaning.
A simile compares one thing to another. (A simile usually has the word like
or as in it.)
A metaphor calls one thing by the name of something else—something that
is similar to the first thing in some way.
For example:
If you say to your friend, “You eat like a pig!” you’re using a simile.
If you say to him or her, “You’re a real pig!” you’re using a metaphor.
Similes and metaphors are figures of speech: they are descriptive ways of
saying something—in this case, that your friend eats sloppily. Everyone
knows that a person is not really a farm animal.
If you write a story about a pig that could also be understood as a story
about your friend—you have written a symbolic story. The pig stands for
your friend. Those who know your friend might recognize him or her, even
with floppy ears and a curly tail. Others might simply enjoy your story as
the adventures of a pig.
In a story like that, the reader is meant to discover the second meaning. A
good example is Animal Farm by George Orwell. On one level it is a story
about animals on a farm. But it is also a story of life under an oppressive
government.
As you look for symbols in the story of Achelous and Hercules, see if you
can find a few similes and metaphors too. Jot them down.