Symbolism is something that stands for or suggests something else beyond literal meaning. A symbol can comprise a word, object, action, complete character, or concept that embodies and evokes additional meaning. When you think of a rose, you may see the literal… A Red Rose like a botanist may. You may also read in to it and see love, romance, Valentine’s Day, etc.
Types of symbolism:
- Religious
- Traces back to the earliest of human civilization
- Most cultures have at least one religion associated with them
- Cross: Christianity, Sign of Calvary, Cross to bear
- Romantic
- As old as human culture
- Think Roses & Cupid
- Heart-shaped box candy
- Emotional
- Use of physical objects to invoke metaphysical emotion
- Imagery
- Provide visual elements to promote understanding of complex themes
- Sensory Elements (smelling, hearing, tasting, touching, seeing)
- Thematic Connection
- Use universal themes to connect to a broader sense of literature
- Character Attributes
- Symbols can represent attributes of a character
- Allows identification with character traits
- Understanding of a character based upon symbolism
- Deeper Meaning
- Convey deeper meaning to the reader that is personal
- Creates a layered effect so different readers can find different significance even through different read-throughs
Jonasson Enigmatic Nirvana 