SYMBOLISM IN LITERATURE
SYMBOL
Definition- A literary symbol is something which means more than what it is. It is
an object, a person, a situation, an action, or some other item which has a literal
meaning in the story but suggests or represents other meanings as well.
When a flower, the moon, or a fountain is used as a symbol, it comes to mean more than
the bloom of a plant, a source of night at light, or a device that recycles water. It is
pregnant with a larger significance; it means something beyond itself. The moon, for
instance, may stand for change, uncertainty, or lack of continuity.
Contextual Symbols Vs. Cultural/Traditional Symbols
Contextual Symbol: A unique or original symbol an author creates within the context of
an individual work or an author's collected works. Examples include the Snopes family in
Faulkner's collected works, who together function as a symbol of the South's moral decay,
or the town of Castle Rock, Maine, which in Stephen King's works functions as a
microcosmic symbol of human society. Contrast with cultural symbol, below.
Cultural /Traditional Symbol: A symbol widely or generally accepted as meaning
something specific within an entire culture or social group, as opposed to a contextual
symbol created by a single author that has meaning only within a single work or group of
works. Examples of cultural symbols in Western culture include the cross as a symbol of
Christianity, the American flag as a symbol of America's colonial history of thirteen
colonies growing into fifty states, the gold ring as a symbol of marital commitment, the
Caduceus as a symbol of medicine, and the color black as a symbol of mourning.
Examples of cultural symbols in other cultures include white as a symbol of mourning in
Japan, the Yin-Yang sphere as an oriental symbol of oppositional forces in balance, the
white crane as a symbol of longevity in Mandarin China, and so forth. Any writer in a
specific culture could use one of these symbols and be relatively confident that the reader
would understand what each symbol represented. Thus, if a writer depicted a pedophilic
priest as trampling a crucifix into the mud, it is likely the reader would understand this
action represents the way the priest tramples Christian ideals, and so forth. Contrast with
contextual symbol and archetype.
W to Recognize a Symbol:
There are three important signals that symbols often send to the reader in or to say,
“HEY, I’M A SYMBOL”
1. FREQUENCY(repetition). – HOW OFTEN? The frequency that an object,
action or name is mentioned in a story or poem is probably important. Be aware.
2. DETAIL -Another way to find a symbol is to look at how much detail is used in
describing an object.
3. POSITION- Does the object, action, person etc. appear at an important moment
in the story(time position)? Or, does an objects physical position give it symbolic
significance (physical position or “placement”)?
These three signals should not be ignored. In the absence of such signals you should be
reluctant to identify an item, action, or name as a symbol.
Four types of symbolism you need to be particularly aware of include the following:
Name Symbolism-In real life, most people’s names are simply labels.
However, in literature, the author may choose names for his characters or for locations
that serve not only to label them but also to suggest something about them. For example,
in the novel Of Mice and Men we meet characters with the name of Candy, Curley’s
Wife, The Boss, and Slim. What do you think each of those names might signify?
Object Symbolism- Objects often hold great significance beyond their
basic function. A watch may be used to tell time. However, if that watch has been
handed down for three generations the watch represents more than a timepiece.
Action Symbolism- Often the actions of characters hold symbolic
meaning. They tell us about the character as a whole or about the society he/she lives in.
If an author describes an action in great detail, if an action stands out as significant, or if
an action is repeated by a character, it is likely to have symbolic importance.
For example, in the novel Of Mice and Men, which is set during the Depression, a
character named Slim drowns four of the smaller pups from a litter because they are not
likely to live on their own. This action is symbolic of the hard times of the Depression.
It says, sometimes you’ve got to be cruel to ensure survival.
People Symbolism- In a similar way to how a person’s actions can
symbolize something about that individual, individual people can represent something
much larger than themselves. A young, bright, and ambitious woman who is unable to
find work in a short story set in the 1950’s may represent many other woman of her time.
Her frustrations, anxieties and challenges may by symbolic of those faced by many
women like her.
TWO IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:
1. The story itself must furnish a clue that a detail is to be taken symbolically.
(you shouldn’t make things up or add things to make your symbols fit.)
2. A symbol may have more than one meaning. For example, for Candy in Of
Mice and Men, the death of his old dog might symbolize his failure to ensure his
dog was euthanized in a caring and loving manner by his lifelong companion. For
George, it might symbolize his need to kill Lennie himself and for the reader the
death of the dog might symbolize the hard and heartless reality of the Depression.
Traditional/Cultural Symbols
I. COLORS
A.Red : immoral; the color of the life principle, blood, passion, emotion, danger, or daring;
often associated with fire
B.Black : seen as a cold and negative aspect suggesting passivity, death, ignorance, or evil;
black hens are used in witchcraft as are black cats
C.White : innocence, life, light, purity, or enlightenment
D.Green : inexperience, hope; new life, immaturity; a combination of blue and yellow, it
mediates between heat and cold and high and low; it is a comforting, refreshing human
color; it is the color of plant life
E.Yellow : rotting, heat, decay, violence, decrepitude, old age, and the approach of death
F.Blue : cool, calm, peaceful; an insubstantial color in the real world except as translucency,
the void of heavens
G.P i n k : i n no ce nce , fe m in i ni t y
H.Purple : royalty, bruising or pain
I.B ro wn : a co lo r so me wher e b e t we e n r u s se t a nd b lac k ; i t i s t he co lo r o f eart h a nd
p lo u g hed
land and soil, it represents humility and poverty
J .Ora n ge : s y mb o l iz es t he p o i nt o f b a la nc e b e t wee n t h e sp ir it a nd t h e l ib id o ; it ma y b e
th e
emblem of divine love or extreme lust
K.Violet : composed of red and blue, it is the color of temperance, clarity of mind
I I . N a t u r e
A . S e a s o n s
1.Spring: birth, new beginning
2 . S u m m e r : m a t u r i t y, k n o w l e d g e
3.Autumn: decline, nearing death, growing old
4 .Win ter : d e at h, s leep , h ib er na tio n, o r sta g n at io n
5.Christmas season: birth, change for the better
6.Easter season: rebirth, enlightenment
7 . L i g h t : t r u t h , s a f e t y, w a r m t h , k n o w l e d g e
8.Darkness: evil, ignorance, danger
B. Flowers : beauty, youth, strength, gentleness
1.Anemone: transience
2 .C hr ys a n t he mu ms : so la r s y mb o l; r ep re se n t s p er fe ct io n, a n a ut u mn flo wer,
3 .Ro se : b ud d i n g yo ut h, r o ma nce, p o te n ti al, fra g ili t y
4.Sunflower: Sturdiness
5 . Vi o l e t : s h y n e s s , s o me t h i n g p e t i t e
6 .Lil y: e vo k es u nla wf u l p as sio n , t e mp ta tio n , t h e elec tio n o f o ne ’ s c ho ic e
III.
DIRECTIONS
A.East : land of birth or rebirth; of the Sun and Venus; it is associated with renewal,
youth, feasting, song and love
B.North : is the side which lies on the sun’s right hand and lies on either side of life; it
symbolizes night sky and night wind and is the home of the Moon and the Milky
Way. North represents coldness, alienation, and hostility; it is the abode of death
C.South : is the side which lies on the Sun’s left hand and is the hand of fire; represents
warmth and comfort
D.West : is the land of evening, old age, and the descending passage of the sun
IV.
WEATHER, SEASON, TIME
A.Snow : blanket which obscures, covers or even smothers
B.Fog/Mist : prevents clear vision or thinking; represents isolation; mist is often the
symbol of the indeterminate phase in development when shapes have yet to be
defined; they are preludes to important revelations or prologues to manifestations
C.Rain : sadness or despair or new life; a symbol of celestial influences the Earth
receives
D.Wi nd a nd S to r ms : vi o le nt h u ma n e mo t io ns
E.Lightning : indicates the spark of life and the powers of fertilization; it can be either
life-giving or death dealing, so it is a sign of power and strength
F.Morning : the time of God’s blessings; the beginning of when all is still uncorrupted; a
symbol of purity and promise
G.Rainbows : also intermediaries and pathways between Heaven and Earth; mostly are
generally heralds of good and are linked with cycles of rebirth, they may also serve as
prologues to disturbance
H.T h u nd er : t he vo ice o f Go d o r go d s
V. ANIMALS
A.Do v e : p eac e, p ur it y, si mp li ci t y
B .Fo x : s l yn e s s, c le v er n es s
C.Raven : death, destruction; they often play prophetic roles or function as a conductor
of the soul
D. Lio n : a so lar s y mb o l, p o wer, p r id e
E.Peacock : pride, vanity
F. Serp e nt /S n a ke : t e mp t atio n, e vi l
G.Mo u se : s h yn e s s, me e k ne s s
H.H a wk : s har p , k ee n e y es i g ht
I.O wl : wi sd o m, r a tio n al k no wl ed ge; me s se n ger o f d eat h
J.Salmon : instinct; sacred wisdom
K.Cats : are often viewed as serpents of the underworld; they also symbolize cunning,
forethought, and ingenuity
L.Lamb : serves as a manifestation of the power of Spring and renewal, sacrificial
element, the children of God
M.Cuckoo : jealousy and parasitism,
VI. WALLS
: barriers between people, both physical and mental; a barrier that shuts out
the world
V I I . H U M A N B O D Y P A R T S
A.Blood : symbolizes all the integral qualities of fire and the heat and vitality inherent in the
sun; it also corresponds to vital and bodily heat
B.Bones : they represent both the framework of the human body, bust since they contain
marrow, they symbolize strength
C. Ha nd s : s tr e n g t h o r wea k ne s s
D.Eyes : windows to the soul or barometer of emotions
E.Mo ut h : i nd ic ato r o f c har ac ter tra it s
F. Nec k : lo n g sle nd er ne ck i s a s so c iat ed wi t h s e x ua li t y
G.Knee : main source of bodily strength according to ancient traditions
H.Right and Left : to look to one’s right hand is to look to the protector; this is the place of
the elect at the Last Judgment, the damned will go to the left
V I I I . C L O T H I N G
A.Cape : or any circular garment or vestment with a hole in the middle suggests a
celestial and ascendant symbolism. When monks or nuns withdraw from the world,
they cover themselves in a cape or cloak, which symbolizes a withdrawal into oneself
or into God.
B.Cloak : is a symbol of human trickery, and the different personalities humans can
assume
C. Ma s k : e xt er nal iz e d e mo n ic te nd e n cie s
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A.Chain : symbolizes the bond which connect Heaven and earth or ties together two
extremes or beings
B.Key : a key has the power and authority of letting in and shutting out; to hold a key
means to have been initiated. It not only shows the power to enter a place, town, or
house, but to accede to a spiritual state or abode or to a level of initiation
C.Ladder : ladders are symbols of ascension and realization of potential; they are also
symbols of intercommunication and the comings and goings between Heaven and
Earth