how to write an essay about symbolism

Understanding, Recognizing, and Examining Symbolism in Literature — Find Out How to Write a Symbolism Essay

As a middle school English teacher I’ve spent countless hours reading novels, short stories, poetry, and beyond with my students. We read for content, we read for meaning, we read for literary devices, we read for themes, we read for countless reasons.

With each new work of literature we read, we try to extract the story’s lesson, its central message, its theme.

If you’ve found yourself in the same position my students often find themselves, grappling to understand an abstract idea like symbolism, you’ve come to the right place. If you read on, you will be able to understand the following principles of writing a symbolism essay:

• Defining symbolism.
• The different types of symbolism.
• The function of symbolism in literature.
• Components of a symbolism essay.

How to Write a Symbolism Essay: Defining, Identifying, and Analyzing Symbols

One of the many ways we arrive at a work’s meaning is through an analysis of the literary devices employed by writers. When we get to our study of symbolism, students like you have no trouble understanding the overarching idea of symbolism. However, independently identifying and analyzing symbolism in a passage can be mind-boggling.

One of the easiest and most relatable examples I use to teach symbolism is the American flag. Concretely, it’s a rectangular piece of fabric with red and white stripes and white stars upon a navy blue background.

Symbolically, however, the flag means so much more. It represents our freedom, patriotism, the thirteen original colonies, the 50 states, liberty, justice, our independence from Great Britain, and so much more.

Easy peasy, right? You get it just like my students get it! But when they have to apply the idea of identifying symbolism in literature, they’re totally lost.

In trying to help my students recognize symbolism I’ve visited countless forums, blogs, university websites, and beyond to try to strategize ways to make the concept clearer. What it comes down to is, as with any other assignment, you have to be willing to do the work to conceptualize symbolism.

To be good a analyst of symbols, you need to truly understand what a symbol is. So let’s start in the same place I start with my own students: defining symbolism. After that, I’ll tell you how to write a symbolism essay.

Symbolism Defined

In short, symbolism is the literary device that refers to the use of words, colors, objects, people, locales, or ideas that represent an idea beyond itself.

If you’ve ever read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” try to recall how frequently he references the color green. Green is widely accepted as symbolic of greed and money. In the novel, green represents the protagonist’s belief that he has to earn and maintain great wealth to win the heart of the object of his affection.

Symbolism calls on readers to make the connection between recurring objects, colors, words, etc., and their intended meaning. Ask yourself, is green just a descriptive word that modifies a noun? Or is there more to it than that? If, as a reader, you can attach greater significance to that recurring element, you’ve likely just identified symbolism.

In this helpful video, an Oregon State University professor discusses ways to recognize symbolism in literature.

He provides some really great examples to further aid students like you in identifying recurring objects that are likely symbolic.

3 Types of Symbolism in Literature

Although how we define symbolism has not fluctuated over time, the types of symbolism writers use, have. With that being said, the three most commonly used types of symbolism are as follows:

1. Religious Symbolism

Probably the most widely recognized type of symbolism, religious symbolism refers to objects or ideas that have sacred, spiritual, or holy significance. For instance, in Christianity, the Crucifix is literally the wooden cross upon which Jesus Christ lost his life, but spiritually it represents God’s sacrifice for the salvation of humanity.

In Buddhism, a Lotus on its surface is a beautiful flower, while symbolically the stages of the flower’s budding represent Buddha’s awakening and a Buddhist’s spiritual growth.

Religious symbols have been used by writers throughout the ages to allude to the conflicts, settings, etc. that characters endure in the plot of a story.

For example, in William Golding’s “The Lord of the Flies,” the story’s setting, a utopian island with temptation at every turn, religiously symbolizes the Garden of Eden. Much like the boys on the island who are unable to regulate their desires without social order, the Garden of Eden is absent of authority which leads its occupants to their own devices.

2. Romantic Symbolism

Romantic symbolism refers to those objects correlated to expressions of love. Love has been a topic for many novels and poems. Romantic symbols are those objects, words, colors, etc. that so emblematically express and signify love.

In Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 130” for instance, the speaker compares his mistress’s cheeks to the color of a rose and her scent to the fragrance of a rose. Red roses are commonly accepted as a symbol of love; through the speaker’s comparison of his mistress to the rose, the reader understands, that although it’s not implicitly stated, the rose represents his love for her. Ergo, romantic symbolism.

3. Emotional Symbolism

Good writers use figurative language to hint at the emotions and feelings characters experience rather than coming right out and saying it. Doing so is what makes literature engaging and entertaining.

Emotional symbols represent particular sentiments. Like when someone raises a clenched fist it represents political solidarity as in the Black Lives Matter Movement. The fist is just a fist, but depending on the circumstances in which it’s raised, it may carry this much deeper meaning.

The Effect of Symbolism in Literature

Rarely are fictitious stories written purely for the reader’s enjoyment. Like your literature teachers have likely told you, good fiction writers teach a lesson or moral or recreate some significant conflict from which you, the reader, are called upon to recognize the importance.

By including literary devices like symbolism, writers create layers of meaning beyond the prosaic. Symbols demonstrate and reveal themes, lessons, morals, and significance better than just outright saying them.

For example, when you read the Modoc Indian origin story, “When Grizzlies Walked Upright,” you’re meant to learn the importance of obeying your parents. You glean a deeper meaning from the symbolism in the story than if the writer were to just say, “It’s important to obey your parents.”

Components of a Symbolism Essay and What You Should Include There

So, what’s a symbolism essay anyway? How to write a symbolism essay? One of the best ways to help you grapple with the concept of symbolism is by analyzing it in the context of the texts you read.

The fact is, symbolism has been a well-loved literary device by authors since cave paintings and hieroglyphics. The more comfortable you become with recognizing symbolism, the better you’ll understand the text and the better readers you’ll become.

The body of a symbolism essay essentially identifies and analyzes particular symbols as presented in a text. When identifying the symbol(s) you should explain the author’s purpose in using them.

As the essayist, you must ask yourself why the writer thought it was important to utilize particular symbols, what he/she hopes to convey or reveal, and what you, the reader, were meant to extract from the given symbol(s)?

It’s similar to when a writer chooses to include curse words in his/her composition. What’s the purpose? What does the particular curse word add to the meaning of the text? Would the passage have the same effect without the curse word?

Just as you may wonder about the author’s choice to include curse words, which I dive into here , his/her purpose in selecting particular symbols to further engage you is significant.

Analyzing symbolism is a process. The first step in that process is identifying a symbol in the literature.

After you’ve read a passage, think about whether an overarching subject stuck out to you. If so, is it repeated? Could it contain a deeper meaning?

If there’s an object that stands out to you, consider whether the object has other accepted meanings. If not, could you attach a logical and reasonable meaning to the object? If so, you’ve successfully identified symbolism in the text.

In this awesome overview on symbolism, Shaelin of “Shaelin Writes” discusses how you can arrive at the symbolic meaning of significant and recurring objects, colors, words, etc.

Next, it’s important to consider the effect or function of the symbol? What is the writer trying to convey? What is the writer hoping to show you instead of outright telling you?

“Word Ink” bloggers Gannon Daniels and Vanessa Ziff Lasdon, sum up the purpose of symbolism so eloquently when they assert, “In the best literature, symbols are unexpected and unique to the character, yet utterly logical and precisely chosen by the writer to evoke multiple layers of meaning.”

Finally, marry your analysis in a well-organized paragraph where you identify the symbol in a topic sentence, explain the meaning of the symbol, and provide textual evidence of how the symbol is used in the context of the passage; make these explanations in the sentences that follow the topic sentence. Round out your paragraph with a concluding sentence that links back to the topic sentence of the same paragraph.

In some writing mediums, you may consider alternate approaches. Like when you write a narrative literature review, as I discuss here , there are a variety of formats to choose from. However, the five-paragraph structure is most suitable for a symbolism essay.

The five-paragraph essay format is generally a good way to format a symbolism essay. Introduce the text and your subject in the first paragraph, identify and analyze a different way the symbol presents itself in each body paragraph, and conclude by connecting your analyses.

Useful Resources

• Color meanings – the power and symbolism of colors
• Animal symbolism: animals and their meanings
• Examples of symbolism in literature
• Meanings of various religious symbols

Finally, in literature symbolism is a literary device, or figurative language, that calls upon the reader to extract deeper meaning from objects, concepts, words, etc.

In literature, writers use symbols to show readers something instead of outright telling them.

A symbolism essay helps readers to identify and analyze symbols for their intended meaning and function. As well as the useful resources provided herein on how to write a symbolism essay, this article provides additional support in choosing the best plagiarism checker for teachers.

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Symbolism describes the use of concrete images to convey abstract ideas. Because this literary device is widely open to interpretation, and because many readers form different relationships to concrete objects, this is one of the more slippery elements of literature to both understand and convey to an audience. Nonetheless, understanding symbolism, and knowing what is a symbol, are crucial to writing good poetry and prose.

What makes symbolism particularly tricky is understanding how an image is being employed in the text. For example, fire can represent destruction and evil, but it can also represent regrowth and the cycles of life. So, this article demystifies the complexities of symbolism in literature. Along the way, we’ll look at symbolism examples in poetry and fiction, before moving towards how to represent abstract ideas in your work.

What is symbolism in literature, and how do you wield it? Let’s define this slippery concept.

Symbolism Contents

What is a Symbol?

Symbolism in literature, symbolism in poetry.

• Universal Symbolism: Does It Exist?

Wielding Symbolism in Your Writing

Symbolism definition: what is symbolism in literature.

Symbolism refers to the use of representational imagery : the writer employs an image with a deeper, non-literal meaning, for the purpose of conveying complex ideas.

In literature, symbolism is the use of a concrete image to represent an abstract idea.

For example, the heart is often employed as a symbol of love. Obviously, love is more complex and full-bodied—it doesn’t just sit in the chest—but we constantly refer to a loving person as “having a big heart,” or a person who lost their love as “heartbroken.”

Sometimes, a symbol is the stepping stone for an extended metaphor . If the heart represents love, what does it mean when a heart is iced over, or two hearts beat in the same chest, or someone has the heart of a deer? While a good symbol can certainly stand on its own, it also creates opportunities to play with ideas in a way that abstract language prevents us from doing.

That said, a symbol is not a metaphor. Symbolism uses a relevant image to convey a relevant idea, whereas a metaphor compares two seemingly unrelated items. Unlike metaphors and similes, symbolism employs a symbolic image repeatedly through the text, with the intent of being a central image and idea of the text.

The trickiest part of understanding symbolism in literature is knowing which images are symbols, and why. To answer this, we must first dive deeper into the images themselves. What is a symbol?

A symbol is an image whose figurative meaning is much deeper than its literal one. It is an object, often ordinary and commonplace, that has been imbued with extraordinary significance.

What is a symbol: an image whose figurative meaning is much deeper than its literal one.

Some symbols are culturally specific. An example of a symbol that varies by culture is that of a marriage proposal. While many countries use engagement rings as a symbol of being betrothed,  the people of Wales often uses “ lovespoons ” to signify one’s partnership. In Thailand, a marriage proposal might be signified by a thong mun —gifts made out of gold.

Other symbols are either more universal, or else easily inferred from the text. For example, in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a green light represents all that is unreachable to Jay Gatsby. He sees a green light on the other side of the sound, where his love interest, Daisy, lives. Not only is Daisy unreachable, but so is everything she and the green light represents: the (perceived) stability and decadence of the American Dream.

Perhaps there is also symbolism in the color green itself: it is the color of money, and the “go” color of stoplights. This last interpretation is certainly laden with irony , because chasing his dreams is exactly what kills Jay Gatsby.

Because the green light is so far away from Jay, and because he’s never able to touch it (or Daisy, for that matter), it obviously represents some sort of unreachability. Because this image recurs throughout the novel, it is a clear example of symbolism—so much so, that the green light has become nearly universally understood, to the point that Lorde has a song inspired by the symbol.

Symbolism Examples

Symbolism operates slightly differently in poetry than in prose, primarily because of the differences in word choice and length in poetry vs prose . A symbol tends to recur in prose, in such a way that it becomes a motif or builds towards a broader theme . Each recurrence of the symbol complicates the idea that the image represents.

Because poetry tends to be shorter, it also tends to employ symbols more economically. Symbolism in poetry may be harder to interpret or understand, as the poem does not provide as much context for the reader, and thus requires the reader to make more inferences and interpretations.

As such, we’ll look at symbolism examples differently in prose and poetry. The below symbolism examples come from published works of literature.

“Big Mother” by Anya Ow

Read this short story here, in Strange Horizons .

Central symbol: Big Mother, a mythical snakehead fish.

What it represents: The loss of childhood innocence.

Symbolism examples in the text: Catching snakehead fish seems to be a rite of passage into adulthood: the oldest boy is obsessed with catching them. What’s more, when an uncle finds out that the children have caught snakeheads, he trusts them with his favorite rod. When the oldest boy misses out on catching Big Mother, he becomes obsessed with capturing this symbol of adulthood. Then, when he does catch Big Mother, she ensnares him. The only way to ensure the oldest boy’s safety is to bargain their current lives for their future ones.

Analysis: Big Mother represents the complicated relationship people have to adulthood. The children all glorify her at first, but the eldest children realize the sacrifice they must make to save themselves from her wrath. This darkens the moods of the eldest children, as they come to understand the permanence of adulthood, the fragility of innocence. What at first seems mystical and fantastic about the real world is actually laden with terror.

The fact that the river is paved over further complicates this theme. While the characters are saved from the fate they sealed, they also catapult further into a world that replaces magic and mystery with the practical and mundane.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

You can read the full play here, from Project Gutenberg.

HAMLET: Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kiss’d I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own grinning? Quite chop-fallen? Now get you to my lady’s chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must come. Make her laugh at that.

HAMLET: No, faith, not a jot. But to follow him thither with modesty enough, and likelihood to lead it; as thus. Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth into dust; the dust is earth; of earth we make loam; and why of that loam whereto he was converted might they not stop a beer-barrel?

Imperious Caesar, dead and turn’d to clay, Might stop a hole to keep the wind away. O, that that earth which kept the world in awe Should patch a wall t’expel the winter’s flaw. But soft! but soft! aside! Here comes the King. The Queen, the courtiers. Who is that they follow? And with such maimed rites? This doth betoken The corse they follow did with desperate hand Fordo it own life. ’Twas of some estate. Couch we awhile and mark.

Symbol: Yorick’s skull.

What it represents: The inherent meaninglessness of life.

Symbolism examples in the text: Although many symbols recur through their texts, this symbol occurs exactly once. In Act V Scene I, Prince Hamlet comes across the skull of Yorick, his former jester. This encounter occurs towards the end of the play, after Hamlet’s depression, nihilism, and helplessness have radically altered his perspective of the world.

Analysis: Hamlet’s contemplation of Yorick’s skull reveals his belief that our lives are inherently meaningless. That Yorick used to make people laugh matters little, because now he can make people laugh no more. He is fated to the same end that the likes of Alexander and Caesar were fated towards, too. Hamlet’s contemplation here is especially meaningful, given that he is trying to avenge his father’s murder. Because he is visited by his father’s ghost, Hamlet tries to believe that a person’s life can have meaning after death; but, his father cannot avenge himself, so what meaning is there left to have, unless we, the living, remind ourselves of it?

It is strange to have an important symbol occupy such a small space in as long a text as Hamlet. The importance of this symbol stems partially from its endurance in pop culture: Yorick’s skull has inspired many novels, poems, songs, and works of art. Additionally, it is a memento mori , or reminder of death, which is a prominent theme in European artwork in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The full text of Jane Eyre can be retrieved here, from Project Gutenberg.

Symbol: The Red Room.

What it represents: The childhood obstacles Jane must overcome to achieve a life of happiness and freedom.

Symbolism examples in the text: We encounter the Red Room in Chapter 2. Jane is locked inside the Red Room by her unfair aunt after Jane stands up for herself against John Reed, her cousin. The Red Room is also where Jane’s uncle died. Jane and her cousins believe that the room is haunted by this uncle, so when Jane is locked inside, she first focuses on the injustice of it all, but then becomes so consumed by fear, and by her belief that her uncle might rise up from the dead, that she blacks out. Jane references this episode several times later in the novel, often to reflect on her journey.

Analysis: The color red is no accident: it represents anger, passion, fear, and intensity. Jane experiences all of this when her aunt imprisons her at only ten years old. The obvious symbolism here is that pure, righteous Jane is imprisoned inside the angry, intense wrath of her unloving family, but the novel encourages us to explore this further. The Red Room represents Jane’s ambivalent relationships to adults: they are always authoritarian, always ready to punish, and always ready to trap Jane inside their own worst impulses.

One possible interpretation of the color red is that it represents period blood, and thus the transition from childhood to adulthood. Jane is forced to be an adult before she’s ready, maturely handling the emotions of other adults when she’s still an innocent child.

Madeleine Wood argues that the Red Room continues to affect Jane, because her relationships to adults as a child manifests itself in her relationships to men as an adult. Remember, the society Jane grew up in was heavily patriarchal: grown women had to always defer to men as authorities. Yet, Jane desires freedom more than anything else, both as a child and as an adult, so the institutions of marriage and the patriarchy fundamentally challenge her freedoms. When she reflects on the Red Room as an adult, it is always juxtaposed to her relationship with a man. She even thinks about the Red Room after walking out on Rochester, an important suitor of hers in the novel.

Only when Jane is comfortable with herself and confident in her freedom is she able to find love and happiness, thus overcoming the burden symbolized by the Red Room.

“My Heart Leaps Up” by William Wordsworth

Retrieved here, from Academy of American Poets . 

My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky: So was it when my life began; So is it now I am a man; So be it when I shall grow old, Or let me die! The Child is father of the Man; And I could wish my days to be Bound each to each by natural piety.

Here’s an example of poetry with symbolism in which the symbol is employed only once, but very effectively. The rainbow represents the kind of natural beauty that children are best at admiring. If you remember observing nature as a child, you might remember being moved by a rainbow, or by a forest, or a desert, or by any number of beautiful things that abound on this Earth. Wordsworth asserts that “The Child is father of the Man” precisely because children are inspired by natural beauty in a way that adults are not. We have much to learn from kids and their relationship to our planet, and as an adult, this poem’s speaker hope to worship this beauty—”bound each [day] to each [day] by natural piety.”

“City Lake” by Chelsea DesAutels

Retrieved here, from The Slowdown.

Almost dusk. Fishermen packing up their bait, a small girl singing there’s nothing in here nothing in here casting a yellow pole, glancing at her father. What is it they say about mercy? Five summers ago this lake took a child’s life. Four summers ago it saved mine, the way the willows stretch toward the water but never kiss it, how people laugh as they walk the concrete path or really have it out with someone they love. One spring the path teemed with baby frogs, so many flattened, so many jumping. I didn’t know a damn thing then. I thought I was waiting for something to happen. I stepped carefully over the dead frogs and around the live ones. What was I waiting for? Frogs to rain from the sky? A great love? The little girl spies a perch just outside her rod’s reach. She wants to wade in. She won’t catch the fish and even if she does it might be full of mercury. Still, I want her to roll up her jeans and step into the water, tell her it’s mercy, not mud, filling each impression her feet make. I’m not saying she should be grateful to be alive. I’m saying mercy is a big dark lake we’re all swimming in.

This poem tells you precisely what the central symbol represents: the lake symbolizes mercy. Yet, the two have no easy relationship, and the poem constantly complicates the concept of mercy itself. Rather than highlight the grace of mercy—how wonderful it is to be saved—this poem reminds us that mercy is just a form of chance: random with whom it saves and with whom it doesn’t. No matter how well the narrator “steps carefully” through the lake, she can never predict how and why anyone receives mercy.

“Because I could not stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson

Retrieved here, from Poetry .

Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us – The Dews drew quivering and Chill – For only Gossamer, my Gown – My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground – The Roof was scarcely visible – The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity –

This poem employs a lot of symbols, most notably in the third stanza. The images used each signify a different stage of life. The school represents childhood. The fields of gazing grain represent adulthood—grain is fertile, in its prime, and it “gazes” upwards towards the sky. The setting sun represents old age. Though each of these symbols are employed only once, they are certainly evocative in the context of Death personified, as the poem suggests each of us are on a horse drawn carriage towards the afterlife.

Universal Symbolism: Does it Exist?

The theorist Erich Fromm divides symbolism into three categories: conventional, accidental, and universal symbolism.

Conventional S ymbolism is closely related to concrete imagery. Essentially, it is the use of images which everyone in a particular language can understand. When I say “light bulb,” you imagine some sort of glass bulb with a filament inside. We might have different mental images, but we agree on the same meaning. This is a non-interpretive form of symbolism, and in semiotics , we’re essentially referring to the sign, signifier, and signified.

Accidental S ymbolism might be best described as specific to a certain person. We form relationships to objects all the time: some positive, some negative. A character might form a specific relationship to an object, and that relationship will continue to affect this character throughout the story. For example, let’s say your character won the lottery using a $5 bill they found on the street. They might assume that every time they find a $5, something lucky is about to happen, making that $5 bill a symbol of luck.

Finally, Universal Symbolism refers to images which, over time, have developed a symbolic meaning that we all instantly recognize. These symbols are understood across time and culture: a heart represents love, the sky represents limitlessness, and a fire represents power—or destruction, or rebirth, depending on how it’s employed.

However, don’t be misled by the word “universal”—it is better to see these categories as postmarks along a spectrum, as few, if any, symbols would actually be understood by every person in the world.

Additionally, don’t assume that “universal” is automatically better. Because these symbols are well understood, they are also often cliché . It is important to employ imagery in fresh, interesting ways, using the context of your work to discover new and surprising relationships between images and ideas. Often, using a poem or story to expand upon the accidental symbols (of your life or the lives of your characters) will result in more impactful imagery.

Lastly, you may be interested in the idea of the “ objective correlative .” An objective correlative is a device that makes an abstract idea concrete in the context of a piece of literature. An obvious example of this is the mirror in The Picture of Dorian Gray , which represents Dorian’s soul as it becomes corrupted by vanity. T. S. Eliot, who popularized the term, argues that a work of literature should arrange images and symbols precisely so that they evoke a certain meaning without telling us the meaning itself. It is, in essence, a way to exercise show, don’t tell .

Here’s some advice for employing symbolism in literature:

• Be concrete. Use images that are easy to visualize and grounded in everyday reality.
• Be specific. Show the reader exactly what the symbol looks like. The more physical detail you provide, the easier it is to explore the complexities of what your symbol represents.
• Prefer the accidental to the universal. There’s no problem with employing universal symbolism, but you should have at least one accidental symbol in your work, as it will often reveal the most about the story or poem you write.
• Be spontaneous. Don’t write with symbolism in mind, just employ imagery tactfully. Writers often don’t realize what their work means until after they’ve written and revised it; trying to muscle meaning into your work might limit the work’s possibilities.
• Don’t overthink it. There’s no “perfect image” to represent any particular idea. We all forge our own relationships to different objects. Sure, the heart can represent love. So can the dining table, a lightning strike, the stomach, the ocean, or a pair of shoes.

Make Your Writing Symbolic at Writers.com

Whether you write poetry or prose, the instructors at Writers.com are masters of imagery and symbolism. Receive the benefits of focused feedback and a friendly writing community in any of our upcoming creative writing classes .

Sean Glatch

this is great information – I shared it with my Facebook group – The Fringe 999 – we emerging artist and are always looking for information like this – thank you

Thank you, Laura! I’m glad you found this article helpful. Happy writing!

Very educational and enlightened. I learned a lot from the article. Thank you.

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How to Write a Symbolism Essay: The Great Gatsby, The Lottery, & Other Examples

In this article, we will discuss the keys to a good symbolism essay. You should know many nuances to master this type of writing.

Symbolism essay isn’t the same as other types of essays. Let’s say you’re writing The Yellow Wallpaper symbolism essay. Under no circumstances should you retell the whole plot of the story.

So, we are here to help you become a symbolism essay professional.

Let’s get down to it!

• 🤿 Symbolism Essay Writing Guide

📐 Symbolism Essay Outline

📚 symbolism essay topics, 🤿 symbolism essay – writing guide.

It’s time for us to look into the main aspects of the essay on symbolism.

First, we will try to define it. After that, check for information about the most common symbols in literature.

What Is an Essay on Symbolism?

A symbol is an object, or phenomena, or anything else, that has some additional notions behind it. In literature, the setting, an object, or an image can symbolize something.

A symbol in literature is a device for delivering multiple meanings and ideas through an image, concept, or object. That means an object in question has other layers of meaning beyond the literal one.

For instance, specific colors may be associated with certain ideas. What comes to your mind at the thought of black color? Probably, death, or grief, or tragedy. So, the author uses this color to express a gruesome atmosphere.

This is how symbolism works.

Common Symbols in Literature

There’s an endless number of symbols in literature, and they all are different. However, most authors use particular types of symbols: objects, events, and characters. We will try to interpret them with you.

We suggest considering some examples of symbolism in literature.

Symbolic objects are everything that exists in the material world. For example, things, their parts, animals and birds, plants. In other words, it is anything you can potentially touch.

An American poet Sara Teasdale uses a flower as a symbol of the wisdom of youth in her poem Wild Asters . In the lines,

In the spring I asked the daisies If his words were true, And the clever, clear-eyed daisies Always knew.

Teasdale chooses symbolism through personification. The daisies serve as a symbol for youth wisdom and can give answers.

Symbolism can also be developed through characters representing abstract ideas and delivering a solid association. Animals count, too, if they play a significant role in a plot. Let’s not exclude spirits, ghosts, and other mythical creatures because they are often common symbols in literature.

• Shakespeare was intensely into symbols. For example, in Hamlet , one can find a lot of them. If you read the play, you must remember two gravediggers. One of whom was a reflecting man with philosophical views. His appearance and philosophical attitude aren’t accidental. The gravedigger signified the idea of all people being equal before the face of death.
• In the same play, the ghost of Hamlet’s father serves a significant symbolic role. Metaphorically, his presence foreshadows the upcoming tragic events for Claudius, the Queen, and Denmark in general. The whole concept of a dead man’s image can give chills. That’s why this image is powerful enough to create an ominous atmosphere.

Authors can use dramatic changes and twists to symbolize a new phase. One can identify symbolic meanings from how the plot unfolds and what events occur. This is an excellent way to deliver the idea of a character’s inner changes. Let’s look into examples closer.

• In Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, the weather changes play a significant role. Whenever a storm was about to come, some tragic events took place. Lousy weather symbolized growing tension and negativity that later broke into a scandal or drama. Such a literary device as foreshadowing is used here and expressed to readers through symbolism.
• John Fowls also used elements of symbolism in his books. His famous novel The Magnus has numerous symbols and metaphors. For instance, Alison staged her suicide and later showed up in front of Nicholas. Her fake suicide symbolized the death of her old self and further rebirth. She wanted to do everything for Nicholas but was weak. Once she appears again, we see a completely new person – solid and decisive.

Other Symbols

Basically, you can refer anything to this class of symbols. We’ll be talking about those that don’t fit into the previous groups. There are plenty of them: various details of other characters, objects, motifs—for example, colors, sounds, or composition.

• If you write color symbolism in The Great Gatsby essay, you won’t have any problems. The novel is drenched in color symbols. Here’s proof: Fitzgerald uses white to symbolize innocence and purity. Yellow color foreshadows a tragedy: Gatsby walked under yellowing trees right before being killed.
• Even the whole story can symbolize something. Take Animal Farm by George Orwell. The animal farm illustrates the savage ruling regimes, such as fascist and Soviet Russian. The author carried the allegory through the whole novel.

How to Write a Symbolism Essay – Analysis

We want to provide you with a guideline on symbolism essay writing:

In this part, we will discuss a symbolism essay outline. It consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion, like any other academic paper. Read about the importance and different ways to outline an essay in our article about outline making.

Let’s go through a symbolism essay outline.

Symbolism Essay Introduction

You can choose anything for the symbolism analysis. Make sure your readers are perfectly aware of your choice too. Introduce them to the subject. Speak on it generally so that the audience can get the idea of a symbol. In the end, explain why you chose this particular topic for the symbolism essay.

Symbolism Essay Body

Now, it’s time to specify the symbol you chose. Elaborate on it: what is written in the book? What general sense this symbol has beyond literature? Tell about your associations – what does this symbol represent for you? Besides, discuss why it’s essential to analyze it in an essay on symbolism.

Remember to back up your opinion with the facts from an original text.

Symbolism Essay Conclusion

Wrap up your essay by writing a consistent concluding paragraph. You can do it by bringing up all the points mentioned in the body. Once again, show that the symbol is significant to talk about. Finally, sum up all the main ideas. Use our free summary generator to develop a good resume of your key thoughts.

Now you know how to write a symbolism essay but let’s look at some examples first.

Looking for a good topic for your symbolism essay? In this section, you will find some awesome ideas for your paper.

• Symbols in “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker.
• Symbolism in Emily Dickinson’s “Because I Could Not Stop for Death.”
• The Christmas tree as a symbol in Henrik Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House.”
• The symbols of life and death in the poem by Dylan Thomas “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.”
• Symbolism in “On Being Brought From Africa to America” by Wheatley.
• “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty: Analysis of symbols.
• Conflict and symbolism in Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants.”
• The symbolic meaning of fire in the Fahrenheit 451 novel by Ray Bradbury.
• Symbols in the book Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody.
• The symbols of success and failure in the Death of a Salesman play by Arthur Miller.
• Symbolism in the Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass by Fredrick Douglass.
• The symbolic nature of Frost’s poetry.
• “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin: Analysis of symbols.
• How symbols help reveal characters in “Doll’s House” by Ibsen.
• What is the symbolic meaning of a streetcar in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams?
• “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin: The symbolism of darkness.
• The scarlet letter as the most powerful symbol in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
• Symbolism of quilts in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use.”
• Franz Kafka and “The Metamorphosis”: The symbols of humanity.
• Symbols in “Woman Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros.
• Religious symbolism in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor.
• “The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain: The symbolism of different settings.
• Symbols of friendship in “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh : Religious symbols.
• Nature as a symbol in “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost.
• Symbolism in “The Deserted Village” by Oliver Goldsmith.
• The symbolic meaning of money in “Brother, I’m Dying” by Edwidge Danticat.
• Major symbols in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.
• Symbols related to mental illness in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey.
• The symbolism of bathing suits in “A&P” by John Updike.
• Color symbolism in Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison.
• “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop: Analysis of symbols.
• Symbols in Middlemarch by George Eliot.
• The Question of Hu by Jonathan D. Spence: Symbolism.
• Characters as symbols in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried .
• White elephants as a symbol of an unwanted child in “Hills Like White Elephants” by Hemingway.
• The symbolism of a handkerchief in “Othello” by William Shakespeare.
• Symbolism in “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving.
• The symbolic meaning of schools in The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.
• Aunt Martha as a symbol of womanhood in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Jacobs.
• Themes and symbolism of Native Son by Richard Wright.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: The symbolic meaning of the book’s title.
• Symbolism in The Tragic History of Doctor Faustus by Marlowe.
• The symbolic nature of food in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.
• The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño: Analysis of symbols.
• Emily’s house as a symbol in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner.
• What symbols are used in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Hurston?
• The symbolic meaning of the veil in “The Souls of Black Folk” by Du Bois.
• What symbols reflect good and evil in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe?
• The symbolism of the bridge in A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller.
• Symbols in The World is Flat — the Book by Thomas L. Friedman.
• The symbolic meaning of the title of the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
• How is materialism symbolically reflected in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer?
• The symbolism of blindness in “Cathedral” — the story by Raymond Carver.
• Yorick’s skull as a symbol of equality in Shakespeare’s Hamlet .
• Symbols in Claude McKay’s Crazy Mary .
• The symbolism of the title in Fences by August Wilson.
• Analysis of symbols in “On the Death of Dr. Robert Levet” by Levet.
• The symbols of racial and gender discrimination in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.
• Solomon Northup’s Twelve Years a Slave Memoir: The symbols of slavery.

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Symbolism Definition

What is symbolism? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thing—usually a physical object or phenomenon—to represent something more abstract. A strong symbol usually shares a set of key characteristics with whatever it is meant to symbolize, or is related to it in some other way. Characters and events can also be symbolic. A famous example of a symbol in literature occurs in To Kill a Mockingbird , when Atticus tells his children Jem and Scout that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird because mockingbirds cause no harm to anyone; they just sing. Because of these traits, mockingbirds in the novel symbolize innocence and beauty, while killing a mockingbird symbolizes an act of senseless cruelty.

Some additional key details about symbolism:

• Symbolism can be very subtle, so it isn't always easy to identify or understand.
• It can sometimes be difficult to say whether an author intended for something to be symbolic or not.
• Symbolism allows writers to convey things to their readers poetically or indirectly rather than having to say them outright, which can make texts seem more nuanced and complex.

Symbolism Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce symbolism: sim -buh-liz-uhm

Types of Symbolism

A symbol can be a physical object, a character, or an event. Here's a brief overview of how each type of symbolism works:

• Symbolism through physical objects: Most often, physical objects are used to symbolize an idea or concept, as a way of pointing the reader towards some of the basic themes that a work is dealing with. For example, a poet might write a poem about a flower dancing in the wind in order to convey a sense of innocence, harmony with nature, or sheer happiness.
• Symbolism through characters: Sometimes, characters themselves can serve as symbols—of a particular virtue or vice, or of a political ideology. For example, in Edmund Spenser's famous allegorical poem, The Faeirie Queene , the female knight Britomart is a symbol of the values of chastity and restraint, traits which many 16th-century readers held in high esteem.
• Symbolism through events: Events can also be symbolic. For example, while a character's long, wild hair might symbolize a period of youth or innocence, a scene in which the character chops off his or her long hair might symbolize a loss of innocence—or the sacrifices people have to make in the process of becoming a mature adult with responsibilities. While the act of cutting off the hair is neither an object nor a character, but it would still be an example of symbolism.

Identifying Symbolism

Writers employ a wide variety of symbols to deepen the meaning of their work. Some symbols, though, are much easier to identify than others. It's worth recognizing the ways that some symbols can be obvious, while others might be less so. For example, sea glass might be used as a fairly obvious symbol in one text, and a more subtle symbol in another:

• Sea glass as an obvious symbol: If a character in a story gives her son a piece of sea glass just before she dies, and the son then puts the sea glass on a necklace and wears it every day, that's a pretty clear example of something being symbolic: the sea glass represents the son's relationship with his mother, his grief at her passing, or perhaps even the more general concept of loss. In this example, the author might choose to describe how the son plays with his necklace obsessively in order to convey his ever present grief at the loss of his mother—instead of having to state it outright.
• Sea glass as a less-obvious symbol: If a character in a story delivers a monologue about sea glass in which they explain how something sharp and broken (a shard of glass) becomes smooth and beautiful only through years of being tossed about on the ocean's currents, it might over the course of the story come to be symbolic for the process of growing up or recovering from trauma—but not every reader will necessarily pick up on the symbolism. In this case, sea glass would be an example of a symbol that might be harder to identify as a symbol within the context of the story.

Is a Symbol Purposeful or Not?

In some cases, particularly when a symbol is subtle, it's not always even clear whether the author's use of symbolism is intentional, or whether the reader is supplying their own meaning of the text by "reading into" something as a symbol. That isn't a problem, though. In fact, it's one of the beautiful things about symbolism: whether symbolism can be said to be present in a text has as much to do with the reader's interpretation as the writer's intentions.

Symbol vs. Metaphor

At first glance, symbolism and metaphor can be difficult to distinguish from one another—both devices imbue a text with meaning beyond its literal sense, and both use one thing to represent something else. However, there are a few key differences between metaphor and symbolism:

• Metaphors compare two different things by stating that one thing is the other (e.g., your eyes are heaven). This doesn't happen in symbolism, where the relationship between a symbol and what it represents is not stated explicitly and one thing is not said to be the other thing. Instead, a symbol stands for or represents something else.
• Whereas a metaphor is used to compare one thing to another based on shared characteristics, symbols can but don't need to have any characteristics in common with what they represent. For instance, Annie Proulx's story Brokeback Mountain ends with one character taking in the smell of a shirt that was once worn by his lost love. The shirt doesn't have any characteristics in common with the lover—it symbolizes him only insofar as it once belonged to him.

Symbolism and Allegory

An allegory is a work that conveys a moral through the use of symbolic characters and events. Not every work that incorporates symbols is an allegory; rather, an allegory is a story in which the majority of characters and plot developments serve as symbols for something else, or in which the entire storyline is symbolic of a broader phenomenon in society.

For example, the characters in Edmund Spenser's allegorical poem The Faerie Queene are not very complex or deep characters: they're meant to embody virtues or ideas more than they are meant to resemble real people. By contrast, Hester Prynne (the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's highly symbolic novel, The Scarlet Letter ) exhibits a great deal of complexity and individuality as a character beyond whatever she may symbolize, so it doesn't really make sense to say that The Scarlet Letter is an allegory about adultery; rather, it's a novel that is literally about adultery that has symbolic aspects. In short, all allegories are highly symbolic, but not all symbolic writing is allegorical.

Symbolism Examples

Symbolism is very common is all sorts of narrative literature, poetry, film, and even speeches.

Examples of Symbolism in Literature

Authors frequently incorporate symbolism into their work, because symbols engage readers on an emotional level and succinctly convey large and complex ideas.

Symbolism in Annie Proulx's "Brokeback Mountain"

The following passage from Annie Proulx's short story "Brokeback Mountain" describes a character named Ennis's visit to the childhood home of a lost lover named Jack. There, Ennis finds an old shirt of his nestled inside of one of Jack's shirts.

At the north end of the closet a tiny jog in the wall made a slight hiding place and here, stiff with long suspension from a nail, hung a shirt. He lifted it off the nail. Jack’s old shirt from Brokeback days. The dried blood on the sleeve was his own blood, a gushing nosebleed on the last afternoon on the mountain when Jack, in their contortionistic grappling and wrestling, had slammed Ennis’s nose hard with his knee. He had stanched the blood, which was everywhere, all over both of them, with his shirtsleeve, but the stanching hadn’t held, because Ennis had suddenly swung from the deck and laid the ministering angel out in the wild columbine, wings folded. The shirt seemed heavy until he saw there was another shirt inside it, the sleeves carefully worked down inside Jack’s sleeves. It was his own plaid shirt, lost, he’d thought, long ago in some damn laundry, his dirty shirt, the pocket ripped, buttons missing, stolen by Jack and hidden here inside Jack’s own shirt, the pair like two skins, one inside the other, two in one. He pressed his face into the fabric and breathed in slowly through his mouth and nose, hoping for the faintest smoke and mountain sage and salty sweet stink of Jack, but there was no real scent, only the memory of it, the imagined power of Brokeback Mountain of which nothing was left but what he held in his hands.

Proulx's description of the shirts sounds like it could be a description of the feeling of intimacy shared between lovers: she writes that they are "like two skins, one inside the other, two in one." The shirts symbolize the love the two men shared, but Proulx avoids having to explain Ennis's feelings directly by using symbolism in her description of the shirts, instead.

Symbolism in Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ozymandias "

In the sonnet "Ozymandias," Shelley uses the story of an encounter with a decaying monument to illustrate the destructive power of nature, the fleetingness of man's political accomplishments, and the longevity of art.

I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

The symbolism in Shelley's poem transforms the half-sunken monument into a powerful representation of the passage of time. The poem reminds readers that natural forces will put an end to the reign of all empires and the lives of every person, whether king or commoner. In the final lines, the poem juxtaposes two very different symbols: the fallen statue, greatly reduced from its former size, and the huge, barren, and unchanging desert. The statue of Ozymandias is therefore symbolic of man's mortality and smallness in the face time and nature.

Symbolism in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

In Chapter Ten of I nvisible Man , the book's protagonist goes to work at the Liberty Paints Factory—the maker of a paint "so white you can paint a chunk of coal and you'd have to crack it open with a sledge hammer to prove it wasn't white clear through"—where he is surprised to learn that the recipe for the brilliant white paint actually calls for the addition of a few drops of black paint. The symbolism of the black paint disappearing into the white is a direct reference to the "invisibility" of black people in America—one of the major themes of Ellison's book.

"The idea is to open each bucket and put in ten drops of this stuff," he said. "Then you stir it 'til it disappears. After it's mixed you take this brush and paint out a sample on one of these." He produced a number of small rectangular boards and a small brush from his jacket pocket. "You understand?" "Yes, sir." But when I looked into the white graduate I hesitated; the liquid inside was dead black. Was he trying to kid me?

Symbolism in Film

Filmmakers often endow particular objects with emotional significance. These visual symbols may shed light on a character's motivations or play an important role later on in the film.

Symbolism in Orson Welles's Citizen Kane

In the closing scene of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane , the camera pans to a sled with the word "Rosebud" printed on it—the same word that is uttered by the newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane on his deathbed. The movie itself portrays Kane's ruthless efforts to consolidate power in his industry. Yet in his final moments, he recalls the sled associated with the happier days of his youth. The "Rosebud" sled can be described as a symbol of Kane's youthful innocence and idealism, of which he lost sight in his pursuit of power. The sled is one of the most famous symbols in all of film.

Symbolism In Speeches

Orators often turn to symbolism for the same reasons writers do—symbols can add emotional weight to a speech and can stand-in for broad themes and central parts of their argument.

Symbolism in John F. Kennedy's 1961 Inaugural Address

In the opening lines of his 1961 inaugural address , President Kennedy claims that his inauguration is the symbol of a new era in American history, defined by both reverence for the past and innovation in the years to come:

We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an end as well as a beginning—signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.

Here, President Kennedy argues on behalf of the symbolic significance of his election, suggesting that his Inauguration Day stands for the progress in America that is soon to come. Though it's not an especially subtle use of symbolism, Kennedy's assertion that his first day in office represents the first of many steps forward for America likely had a considerable emotional impact on his audience.

Symbolism in Barack Obama's Speech on the 50th Anniversary of the Selma Marches

In his speech on the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches , President Obama casts the Edmund Pettus Bridge (in Selma, Alabama) as a symbol of American progress and resilience.

The American instinct that led these young men and women to pick up the torch and cross this bridge is the same instinct that moved patriots to choose revolution over tyranny. It’s the same instinct that drew immigrants from across oceans and the Rio Grande; the same instinct that led women to reach for the ballot and workers to organize against an unjust status quo; the same instinct that led us to plant a flag at Iwo Jima and on the surface of the Moon.

In this example, President Obama paid tribute to the activists who were beaten brutally by state troopers after crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge during a 1965 demonstration in Selma, Alabama. Likening their perseverance in the face of police brutality to other prominent examples of American resistance, such as the American Revolution, Obama claims that the demonstrators symbolize a quintessential American trait: a commitment to securing and protecting personal freedom. Thus, in Obama's speech, crossing the bridge can be said to function as a symbol of the long struggle for civil rights.

Why Do Writers Use Symbolism?

It's hard to find a work of literature that lacks any kind of symbolism. Symbolism is an important literary device for creating complex narratives because it enables writers to convey important information without having to state things directly. In addition, the use of symbolism is widespread because it can:

• Help readers visualize complex concepts and central themes, and track their development.
• Afford writers the opportunity to communicate big ideas efficiently and artfully.
• Invite readers to interpret a text independently, rather than be directly told what the author means.
• Add emotional weight to a text.
• Conceal themes that are too controversial to state openly.
• Imply change or growth in characters or themes through shifts in the way that characters interact with particular symbols, or ways in which the symbols themselves change over time.

Other Helpful Symbolism Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Symbols : A rather theoretical account of symbolism, which delves into competing definitions of the term that might be more complicated or detailed than is necessary for many readers. Still, the page demonstrates just how pervasive symbolism is in language and thought.
• Cracked's List of 7 Films With Symbolism You Didn't Notice : Though the author's speculations verge on conspiracy theories at times, at its best, the list demonstrates how artists might use symbols to bury risqué themes in works for popular consumption.
• The HyperTexts Page on The Best Symbols in Poetry and Literature : The explanations here aren't especially in-depth—certainly not as sophisticated as the symbols they discuss. Still, this is useful as a survey of poems by major writers with examples of concrete, object-based symbolism.

• Extended Metaphor
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• Colloquialism
• Bildungsroman
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How to write an essay about a symbol

in "Andrei Rublev"

After watching Tarkovsky's film "Andrei Rublev" you will write an essay about a symbol used in it.

What is a symbol?   A symbol is a physical thing that stands for an idea .   Symbols appear in literature and very often in artistic films such as "Andrei Rublev."  

Here is a paragraph about symbols from the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics by Preminger, Warnke and Hardison, 1974:

The word "symbol" derives from the Greek verb, symballein , meaning "to put together," and the related noun, symbolon , meaning" mark," "token," or "sign," in the sense of the half-coin carried away by each of the two parties of an agreement as a pledge.   Hence, it means basically a joining or combination, and, consequently, something once so joined or combined as standing for or representing in itself, when seen alone, the entire complex.   This term in literary usage refers most specifically to a manner of representation in which what is shown (normally referring to something material) means, by virtue of association, something more or something else (normally referring to something immaterial).   Thus a literary symbol unites an image (the analogy) and an idea or conception (the subject) which that image suggest or evokes, as when, for example, the image of climbing a staircase (the difficulty involved in the effort to raise oneself) is used to suggest the idea of "raising" oneself spiritually or becoming purified (T.S. Eliot's Ash Wednesday ).

When we speak about symbols in Russian 120, we'll use the terms "the analogy" and "the subject" as the previous paragraph indicates.   The analogy is the symbol that you see in the film (the physical object) that brings to your mind a subject or idea/conception that is " more or something else " as the article states.

What makes reading literature and viewing films fun is identifying symbols and thinking of the immaterial subjects, the ideas, that they suggest to you.

Use this structure for your essay:

1.   Introduction:   Lead into your discussion.   Speak about symbols in general, or about Tarkovskyπs use of symbols in the film.   Or make a personal statement about your view of symbols.   Or ...

2.   Body of essay:   Name and develop your symbol.   Be specific about what the subject is that the symbol brings to your mind.   Develop an argument for how the symbol better helps to understand the film.

3.   Conclusion:   Evaluate the effectiveness of your symbol.   Or place it into the larger context of the universe of symbols used in the film.   Or ...

What is Symbolism in Writing? Examples, Definitions, and How to Create Them

Sy mbol ism is w hen a writer uses an object , person , place , or action to represent something else , usually an idea or emotion . For example , in the Harry Potter series , the sorting hat is a symbol of the power of choice .

Or if someone says they ’ re feeling “ under the weather ” they ’ re actually not talking about the weather at all – they ’ re using a symbol for feeling sick . So you see , symbolism isn ’ t only for literature and fancy art – it ’ s for everyday life too !

What’s the Big Deal with Symbolism?

Imagine a world where everything has a hidden meaning, a secret message waiting to be discovered. That’s the world of symbolism! Symbols are everywhere, from traffic lights and emojis to the mascots of sports teams. Just like these everyday examples, authors use symbolism to communicate complex ideas, emotions, or themes in their writing. In literature, symbols can be anything from objects and animals to colors and names.

Decoding Symbolism in Writing: How Does It Work?

An allegory is a story where everything is symbolic, like George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” But more often, symbolism is woven into a story that can also be read literally.

Spotting Symbolism: Tips and Tricks

To identify symbolism, look for images or descriptions that seem to have deeper meaning or are emphasized by the author. Sometimes it’s obvious, like a character with a snake tattoo symbolizing deception. Other times, it’s subtle and might only be noticed on a second read-through.

When to Use Symbolism

Symbolism is used when plain language isn’t enough to convey the author’s message. It can make descriptions more powerful and enhance the reader’s understanding of a story, poem, or essay. However, symbolism is rarely used in academic writing, unless analyzing the symbolism in a piece of literature.

Different Ways to Use Symbolism

Color symbolism – Colors can evoke emotions and have psychological associations. For example, red might symbolize passion or anger, while blue could represent tranquility.

Animal symbolism – Animals often have cultural associations or symbolize specific traits. For instance, a lion might represent strength or royalty, while a fox could symbolize cunning.

Examples Galore: Symbolism in Action

Here are some examples of symbolism involving colors, animals, and common objects:

Symbolism in Practice

Effective symbolism should strike a balance between being too obvious and too subtle. Start by determining what message you want to convey, then choose symbols that fit your theme or story.

Symbolism Everywhere

Symbolism isn’t limited to literature. It can be found in architecture, historical events, and more. Some examples include:

Frequently Asked Questions about Symbolism

A: Symbolism is the use of words or images to represent ideas, people, objects, or events beyond their literal meaning. It’s a powerful tool for authors to communicate complex themes or emotions.

Remember, symbolism can vary across cultures, so it’s essential to consider your audience when using symbols in your writing. Symbolism is a versatile and powerful storytelling tool that can add depth, complexity, and emotional resonance to any narrative. By skillfully incorporating meaningful symbols into a story, writers can create captivating narratives that connect with readers and leave a lasting impression.

If you’re thirsty for more writing knowledge, head over here to  learn all 74 literary devices .

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What is Symbolism and How Do You Use It In Your Writing

Symbolism has been used for centuries as a literary storytelling device that offers more depth and meaning to a story. With the advent of  cinematic  storytelling in film — and later in episodic television — symbolism became an even more effective visual tool to further explore the concepts, themes, and messages found within any feature-length film, short film, television episode, or series.

Using symbolism helps writers and filmmakers to: 

• Further communicate the intended themes and deeper meanings of their stories. 
• Dive deeper into complex ideas with the usage of more simple visual and metaphorical narrative symbols.
• Evoke more emotional and cathartic responses from the audience. 
• Stylize their cinematic stories with thought-provoking and discussion-building symbology.  
• Layer their narrative plots and story points for enhanced viewing experiences via creative symbolic Easter Eggs.     

But how can writers effectively utilize symbolism in their writing? How has it been done before in cinema, and what can writers and filmmakers learn from those examples? 

Here we will delve into literary and cinematic symbolism with simple yet effective ways to inject your stories with symbolic touches that not only make your stories great for the first read or viewing, but even greater for the second, third, and beyond. 

What Is Symbolism? 

Symbolism is most easily defined as a common and powerful tool in storytelling using creative expression and choices to represent a concept, idea, or theme using non-literal techniques. 

Writers and filmmakers are essentially using one thing to define another. Symbolism helps them to be able to further explore and communicate their intentions with the stories they tell without forcing their intentions too much to where the readers and viewers disengage from the story. 

Read More: Three Psychological Tricks Screenwriters Can Use to Engage Audiences

What Type of Symbols Can Writers Use?

There are a variety of ways to showcase symbolism in your stories. 

• Character Symbolism

You can develop characters whose traits and actions embody larger ideas within your stories. A character's journey can symbolize personal growth that readers and viewers can identify with — or their journey could be a metaphor for societal change.

• Environmental Symbolism

Settings and landscapes can be utilized to mirror the characters' emotional state or the story's central themes. A desolate, run-down location can symbolize the protagonist’s despair. 

• Visual Metaphors

You can use objects, colors, or images to represent abstract concepts or themes. For example, a recurring red rose might symbolize love or passion, whereas the color red could symbolize blood, death, and violence. Take this visual metaphor for example: the drain is graphically matched to Marion's lifeless eye to symbolize where all of her mistakes and greed have led her.

• Sound and Music

Employing soundscapes and music can evoke emotions and communicate themes within the story and character arcs. The choice of music a character listens to can symbolize their inner arcs and emotional states. 

• Allegory Narratives

You can create a narrative where the entire story serves as an allegory for a larger concept, such as political or social commentary.

• Cultural Symbols

Writers can also draw on cultural, historical, or religious symbols to enrich the story. You must always be mindful of the context and potential interpretations when using cultural symbols, yes. But because such symbols are so well known, they can be an effective visual to showcase your intended concepts, ideas, and themes. 

Foreshadowing Symbols 

Using symbols to hint at future events or character development builds anticipation and offers further complexity to the story. A great example of this is the "X" in  The Departed , which is meant to symbolize and foreshadow the death of a character.

Subtle Subtext and Ambiguity

Using subtlety to let readers and viewers interpret symbols in their own way can be an effective approach for symbolism as well. When you leave room for ambiguity to engage the audience's imagination, they can come to their own conclusions. This also helps to create discussions about your stories as people use the open-ended subtext not as definitive answers regarding symbolism, but as discussion starters and philosophical debates.

Read More: 100 Symbolism Prompts That Add Depth to Your Screenplay

What Are Cinematic Examples of These Types of Symbolism?

The floating plastic bag in  american beauty.

With enough subtlety left beyond the character’s description of what the plastic bag means to him, we can interpret the plastic bag as also symbolizing the search for beauty and meaning in everyday life.

Frodo Baggins in  Lord of the Rings

The character of Frodo Baggins in the  Lord of the Rings  stories represents a clear metaphor for the themes of selflessness and the burden of responsibility that comes with it.

Weird Barbie’s House in  Barbie

Weird Barbie as a character can represent many unintended or intended themes. Some point to the character as a symbol of queerness and how the world should begin to accept those who fall under that societal umbrella. Others believe she symbolizes our childhood innocence and the loss of that innocence. When we see her house within the film, we see the visual environmental symbolism of how different it is from the rest of Barbieland. The angles are odd and different, and they don’t make much sense compared to the design of the other structures. The painting design of the walls is more lively and vibrant, which symbolizes Weird Barie’s personality. 

Jazz in  La La Land

Jazz represents a lot of things in  La La Land ,  but it especially encompasses the character of Sebastian. He evokes the nature of jazz in everything he does and how he lives his life. And he brings that nature to Mia, which pushes her to do the unexpected, the new, and the exciting. 

The Comet and Political/Social Reaction in  Don’t Look Up

The impending doom of a comet that is going to hit Earth is utilized as an allegory for the debate about climate change and its impact on the planet. Beyond that, the movie satirizes the apathy of government, politics, celebrities, and the media towards the climate crisis.

The Claymore Sword in  Braveheart

While, historically, the two-handed claymore sword William Wallace used in  Braveheart  likely wasn’t the actual type of sword he used, that type of sword eventually became a sign of Scottish freedom after the Wallace Sword was written about in poetry and one alleged sword thought to be the true Wallace Sword was later displayed in Stirling. Regardless, the sword is featured throughout the film, symbolizing Scottish freedom and their fight against tyranny.

The Use of Red in  The Sixth Sense

Upon second viewing of the film, it is revealed that the red color appears in scenes with ghosts — subtly foreshadowing the revelation that the protagonist can see the dead. We also discover that every scene that Malcolm is in also has red in it, foreshadowing the end revelation. 

The Spinning Top at the End of  Inception

The spinning top at the end of the movie is a symbol of uncertainty, leaving the audience to interpret whether the protagonist is in a dream or reality. That uncertainty is evident throughout the entire story as characters — and the audience — don’t always know whether they are awake or dreaming. 

The Viewing Stone in  Parasite

You don't have to guess whether or not the viewing stone is used as a symbol in Bong Joon Ho's Parasite — it's literally written into the script. When gifted the stone by his friend Min, Ki Woo literally makes a comment on how it's symbolic. But what does it symbolize? The director has stated, "The rock is assigned this very unique position. It's a kind of obsession for the young son [Ki Woo]. Throughout the film, he's trying to imitate Min, his rich friend who initiated him into this world. Min disappears in this film after giving him the rock, but the rock is sort of the remnant of his character." Essentially, the viewing stone represents the Kim family's aspirations to become wealthy.

How Can Writers Use Symbolism in Their Stories?

As we’ve listed above — complete with complementary examples — there are many ways you can utilize symbolism in your stories.

• Foreshadowing Symbols
• Sutble Subtext and Ambiguity

The key thing to remember when you’re trying to inject symbolism into your stories is  subtlety . The purpose of symbolism is to  enhance  the concepts, ideas, and themes you want to present within your writing — as opposed to using symbolic tools to overtake your story. 

Pick Just a Couple of Symbolic Tools from the List

Don’t use them all. Choose which types of symbolism work best for your story, and use them effectively, but sparingly.

Decide Which Ones Work for the Genre You’re Writing In

Allegory symbolism is perfect for comedy because it also can utilize satire at the same time, much like is evident in our example found within  Don’t Look Up . However, allegory can also work well in other genres like horror and science fiction. 

• Jordan Peele’s  Get Out  serves as an allegorical exploration of how white people can exert control over Black bodies, while also appropriating and benefiting from Black virtues and strengths, alluding to the unsettling realities of racial dynamics.
• Starship Troopers is a science fiction film that works as an allegory and satire of fascism and fascist propaganda.

Figure out what types of symbolism work best with what genres of stories you want to tell. 

Don’t Overstep Your Role as a Writer

If you’re writing screenplays, it’s not your job to dictate the props, cinematography, production design, specific music selection, etc. These are all elements left to the filmmakers to decide. If you have physical elements of your screenplay that the story needs to convey symbolism, you need to use them sparingly, and preferably in a way that can be interwoven into the narrative (because that  is  your job), as opposed to being more of a filmmaker’s choice during production and post-production. 

An easy example would be the use of the Wallace Sword in  Braveheart.  Keeping the sword prevalent in the script is easy. And the end visual of the sword being thrown toward the enemy and driven into the dirt of the battlefield is a narrative element. However, dictating a particular song choice for a scene can: 

• Alienate the reader if they don’t know the song, putting the reader's experience in jeopardy. 
• Derail the impact if the producer or studio of the eventual film interpretation doesn’t own the rights to the song. 

Read More:  Should You Reference a Specific Song in Your Screenplay?   

Pepper Your Story with Subtle Symbolism

When you salt and pepper your food, you always want to avoid over-salting and over-peppering. Why? Because it will spoil and overcome the flavor of the actual meal. The same can be said with using symbolism in your writing. If your symbolism overtakes the core concept, story, plot, and characters, it will ruin the experience of your intended narrative.

Allow Audiences to Interpret Their Own Symbolism

Sometimes it’s best to leave it to the imagination. We all bring our own baggage, beliefs, and perspectives to the table when it comes to ingesting literary and cinematic stories. That’s the beauty and power of storytelling.

Steven Spielberg was often confronted with the symbolism found by audiences and critics in his iconic film  E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial . Many believed that E.T. was symbolic of the Christ figure, given the various visual symbols, as well as the plot points of resurrection. However, Spielberg reminded them with a smile that he was Jewish. The point is that symbolism can also come from one’s interpretation of your story — you don’t always have the inject too much symbolism for readers and audiences to find some.

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter  @KenMovies  and Instagram  @KenMovies76

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100 Symbolism Prompts That Add Depth to Your Screenplay

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What Is Symbolism? Reviewing Examples in Literature

Have you ever wondered how to make your essay entertaining and interesting by changing only a few lines? Symbolism is a great tool to improve your paper in a sophisticated way. In this article, we will introduce you to symbolism and ways to use it in your own writing effectively. Let's go deeper with our professional essay writers .

What Is Symbolism?

Symbolism is a tool used to give objects a deeper meaning and a different quality with the use of a symbol. Symbols are deeply rooted in our speech without us noticing because they enhance our conversation, make sentences elaborate and exemplify things we talk about more vividly.

For example: A dove is a symbol of peace, a black cat signifies bad luck, and a white flag means a peace offering.

Most symbols in custom essay writing services are universal and can be understood by people from different countries and backgrounds. However, some of them are culturally specific and one should be careful in order not to offend anyone or be misunderstood.

How Symbolism Is Used in Literature

Certain objects and terms signify things which are different from their literal sense. Usually, symbolism is used in order to give deeper and more significant meaning to events, objects and characters throughout the text, unify them, and give certain connotations. Authors incorporate symbolism to express complicated concepts visually and show a thread of certain ongoing themes in their writing. Since, in most cases, symbols that are used are hidden in the text, they force the reader to engage in critical thinking. It makes the reader wonder about the metaphorical use of one or the other object as a symbol. If the theme of a book or an essay might be sensitive to certain people, symbolism also comes in handy. It can help express ideas that an author wants to address through the prism of a symbol, as opposed to talking about controversial things openly.

Another reason a writer might choose to use symbolism in his work is to create different levels of meaning in his story. This meaning is not only literal, but also deeper. It connects the reader with his story on a different, an emotional level, besides just telling the story. Readers, on the other hand, like to discover these hidden symbolic ties and meanings, because it gives them a chance to peek into the writer’s mind and get a sense of what intentions he had in creating them.

The bottom line is that symbolism lets a writer introduce his audience to a concept in an interesting poetic way that does not give away the idea right away, luring the reader into his world full of beautiful implications and complicated ties.

Read also about the literature review format - our readers find this article fascinating and useful. If you need any help, leave us a request write my paper and we'll help asap.

Need to Break Down Symbolism in Writing?

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How to Analyse Symbolism Step-by-Step

Analyzing symbolism in literature can be a rewarding but complex endeavor. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process:

STEP 1 – Identify Potential Symbols

Begin by identifying objects, characters, settings, or events within the text that seem to carry deeper meaning beyond their literal interpretation. Look for recurring motifs, imagery, or patterns that are potentially symbolic to you.

STEP 2 – Consider Context

Examine the context surrounding the potential symbols. Consider the historical, cultural, and literary context in which the work was written and the author's background and intentions. Understanding the context can provide valuable insights into the symbolic significance of certain elements.

STEP 3 – Analyze Patterns and Associations

Look for patterns or associations between the potential symbols and other elements within the text. Consider how the symbols interact with characters, themes, and plot developments. Pay attention to any recurring themes or motifs to which the symbols may connect.

STEP 4 – Examine Character Perspectives

Consider how different characters within the text perceive and interact with the symbols. Analyze the symbolism from various character perspectives to understand its significance better. Note any differences or contradictions in how characters interpret the symbols.

STEP 5 – Explore Themes and Motifs

Reflect on the broader themes and themes of the text and consider how the symbols contribute to their development. Analyze how the symbols reinforce or challenge key themes, motifs, or messages the author conveys. Look for thematic connections between the symbols and the larger narrative structure.

STEP 6 – Research Symbolic Interpretations

Research to explore potential symbolic interpretations of the elements you've identified. Consult literary analyses, critical essays, and scholarly interpretations to gain additional perspectives on the symbolism within the text. Consider how different scholars and critics have interpreted the symbols and evaluate the validity of their arguments.

STEP 7 – Draw Conclusions and Make Connections

Synthesize your findings and conclude the symbolic significance of the elements you've analyzed. Consider how the symbols contribute to the overall meaning and interpretation of the text. Make connections between the symbols and the broader thematic concerns of the work, and articulate your insights coherently and persuasively.

STEP 8 – Support Your Analysis with Evidence

Provide evidence from the text to support your analysis of the symbolism. Quote relevant passages, descriptions, or dialogue that illustrate the symbolic significance of the elements you're discussing. Analyze the language, imagery, and narrative techniques employed by the author to convey the symbolic meaning of the elements.

STEP 9 – Consider Alternative Interpretations

Acknowledge and consider alternative interpretations of the symbolism within the text. Be open to different perspectives and interpretations, even if they diverge from your own. Engage with counterarguments and alternative readings to deepen your understanding of the symbolic complexity of the text.

STEP 10 – Reflect and Revise

Reflect on your analysis and consider how your interpretation of the symbolism enhances your understanding of the text. Revise your analysis as needed to clarify your arguments and refine your insights. Continuously revisit and reassess your analysis to uncover new layers of meaning and deepen your appreciation of the text's symbolic richness.

Essay Sample on Symbolism

Our sample essay sheds light on the historical and cultural context of the Symbolism, offering insights that enrich your appreciation and critical analysis of the text.

Major Representators of Symbolism in Literature

Here are some major representatives of symbolism in literature:

• Edgar Allan Poe

Known for his Gothic tales and poems, Poe often employed symbols to evoke themes of death, madness, and the macabre. Examples include the raven in "The Raven" as a symbol of grief and the pendulum in "The Pit and the Pendulum" as a symbol of impending doom.

• William Faulkner

Faulkner's works are rich in symbolism, particularly in his exploration of the American South and its complex social dynamics. In novels such as "The Sound and the Fury" and "As I Lay Dying," he uses symbols such as the dilapidated plantation house and the coffin to convey deeper themes of decay, loss, and the passage of time.

• Herman Melville

In "Moby-Dick," Melville employs symbols such as the white whale, the sea, and the ship to explore themes of obsession, destiny, and the human condition. These symbols serve as potent metaphors for the complexities of life and the pursuit of the unknown.

• James Joyce

Joyce's modernist masterpiece "Ulysses" is replete with symbols that reflect its characters' inner thoughts and experiences. The recurring motifs of water, mirrors, and music illuminate the themes of identity, memory, and the passage of time.

• Franz Kafka

Kafka's works, such as "The Metamorphosis" and "The Trial," are characterized by their surreal and symbolic nature, with symbols often representing themes of alienation, bureaucracy, and existential dread. The transformation of Gregor Samsa into a giant insect in "The Metamorphosis," for instance, is a powerful symbol of alienation and societal oppression.

• Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hawthorne's works, such as "The Scarlet Letter" and "Young Goodman Brown," are known for exploring Puritanical themes and symbolism to convey moral and psychological depth. The scarlet letter "A" in "The Scarlet Letter" is a potent symbol of sin, guilt, and redemption. At the same time, the forest in "Young Goodman Brown" represents the dark and mysterious forces of temptation and evil.

• Gabriel García Márquez

García Márquez, a pioneer of magical realism, often employs symbols and allegory to explore themes of love, power, and the supernatural. In "One Hundred Years of Solitude," the Buendía family's house symbolizes the cyclical nature of history and the passage of time. The yellow butterflies symbolize the fleeting beauty and fragility of life.

Types of Symbolism in Literature

There are many different literary devices that help writers to use symbolism in their texts:

Metaphor is a type of figurative language that shows characteristics of a subject through comparison with something else, their likeness or contrast between them. A great example of a metaphor can be found at the opening words of “As You Like It”, a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare:

“All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances ...”

Here, he compares human life to a theatre stage. Same as anything can happen in life, a stage can have all kinds of different plays portrayed. The play will also be over sooner or later, the same as life. By making this simple comparison, he explains the complicated and difficult laws of nature, such as human mortality. The last phrase refers to people’s ties and their meaning in each other’s lives as “exits” and “entrances”.

It is a figure of speech used when one thing gets assigned some qualities of the other and is compared to it. The two usually are compared to one another with the use of the word “as” or “like”. It might sound similar to a metaphor, but the latter gives only a slight implication that something is like something else, whereas a simile directly states it. A great example of a simile can be found in “Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov:

“Elderly American ladies leaning on their canes listed towards me like towers of Pisa.”

Here Nabokov says that ladies’ canes remind him directly of the tower of Pisa — a building in Pisa, Italy, that is tilted to the side. This beautiful simile showcases artist’s elaborate way of expressing his thoughts, how educated and developed he is, but most importantly, gives the reader another visual of how these canes made him feel and how they might look like.

Another literary device that helps to use symbolism is an allegory. It is also similar to a metaphor, but expresses the meaning of the object, its significance, rather than an external characteristic of likeness. Through the association that allegory creates with the characters in writing, the reader gets a sense of how a situation or a problem at stake fits in the history of the world, art history, or a certain culture.

A good example of allegory in literature is “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding. There he compares society around him to a group of children who are stuck on a deserted island due to a plane crash, and are trying to survive there. The island in the book represents the world itself, the conch is a symbol of law and order, the fire represents destruction. Each child, with his role and character, represents a certain societal imperfection, depicting people’s flaws in the institutions of religion, politics, morality, and many others.

An archetype is another literary device used to represent a human behavioral pattern that is usually universal throughout the world and can be applied and understood in many cultures. The archetype can also be a place in space and time, a certain theme that is shared collectively by citizens of the world. Many archetypes came into literature from folk art and fairy tales.

One of the most common and famous archetypes is the hero. Some of the characteristics defining a hero include mysterious circumstances of their birth, struggle and proving everyone who lost faith in them wrong, tragic events throughout their lives, and complicated and dangerous adventures. A great example of an archetype is Harry Potter, the main character of the series by J.K. Rowling. He was orphaned by the cruel dark wizard Lord Voldemort and fought him throughout the book series.

An allusion is used to imply something or refer to another mythological, religious, or historical character without directly mentioning them. The use of allusion allows an author to deliver his text using elaborate language. Different rhetorical figures force readers to incorporate their background knowledge and associate the character or problem in question with external references.

In his book “Fahrenheit 451”, Ray Bradbury uses a reference to a historical tragedy that happened in 79 A.D. near the city of Pompeii, Italy, where a volcano called Vesuvius erupted and killed the entire population, leaving the city covered in ashes.

"Mildred ran from the parlor like a native fleeing an eruption of Vesuvius."

By using this explicit allusion, Bradbury explains that Mildred was running away from something terrible, as fast as she could, because it would otherwise have killed her — just like every inhabitant of Pompeii.

Hyperbole is used in text in order to exaggerate somebody’s trait or characteristic, such as power, beauty, wealth, influence, strength, and many others. Hyperbole usually has an amusing effect used to help readers visualize the strong points of the text. An example of hyperbole would be a line from Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”:

“I had to wait in the station for ten days — an eternity.”

In order to indicate how painful, worrisome, and exhausting it was for the character to wait in the station for ten days, he compares to an eternity. It was only 10 days but felt much longer given the circumstances.

Conventional Symbols in Literature

Some of the symbols in literature are incorporated in culture so deeply that they became conventional — clear to almost anyone, because they create images and moods instantly after being mentioned.

Colors usually suggest certain emotions and characteristics with powerful meanings: red — anger, blood, love, or passion; blue — calmness and peace of mind; green — wealth, jealousy, nature; white — purity, innocence, spiritualism; purple — royalty and many others.

Seasons in most cases pertain to age: spring — youth and freshness, start of something new; winter — elderly people or even death, the zenith of one’s life; summer — the peak of development, prime of life; fall — decay, negative change, middle life, growing older.

There are many other everyday life things that involve symbolism: light — good, hope, and freedom; darkness — bad luck, tragedy, evil, the unknown; wind — change in life, speed, transition, inability to change things, destruction; rainbow — hope for the better.

Some objects and animals can also carry symbolic meaning: dove — peace; snake – evil; horse — phallic sexuality; a ring — fidelity, happiness; a broken mirror — bad luck and misfortune; a chain — unity or imprisonment.

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Ways to Use Symbolism in Writing

As we saw earlier, there are many different literary tools that can help use symbolism in your own writing. Understanding of their function and examples helps you embed them in your essay. Symbolism has numerous functions in writing.

Some of the things you can create in your essays with symbolism are adding emotion . In “Night” by Ellie Wiesel, the concept of night, its darkness and mystery is used as a symbol of negative emotions, tragedy, despair, and death suffered by incarcerated Jews in the concentration camp.

Another role it might play in your paper is connecting themes . In “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the color green is used throughout the whole book to suggest wealth and lust for money, a desire of getting rich in spite of any moral issues, a luxury lifestyle, and grandeur.

You might also be interested in reading THE GREAT GATSBY BOOK THROUGH DAISY BUCHANAN CHARACTER

Defining a character is another thing a person might achieve while using symbolism. In Harper Lee’s 'To Kill a Mockingbird' the character of Tom is suggested to be innocent, because he was hurt, but he, like a mockingbird, is harmless.

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but . . . sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

The best way to include symbols in your essay is to do so once you are done writing and can look for places where it can be incorporated best out of the whole body of text. By no means should symbolism be your main focus of writing. Instead, you should focus on the strong points of the story and its characters. Symbolism is only a beautification of a piece that is already strong. It only helps you to enhance the story, make it alive and vivid, and showcase its complexity to the reader.

It is not extremely difficult to use symbolism in your own writing. Metaphor, allegory, hyperbole, allusion, archetype, and all the other literary devices discussed in this article are great aids to make your essay a beautiful piece of literature. A simple comparison of one thing to another can enhance the text tremendously, show off your semantic skills, and make the text beautiful overall, like a flower. See what I did there? Not that hard, I presume.

We also recommend that you read the article on how to write an essay introduction .

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What Is the Symbolism in Literature?

How do you analyze symbolism in literature, what is imagery and symbolism in literature.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Photo, Green Chameleon.

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The Usage of Symbolism in Essay Writing

Symbolism is a device often used by authors in fictional writing, learn what it is and how you can apply it to essay writing...

When writing fictional literature, symbolism is a device often used by authors; where something tangible, an object, animal, or person, is used to represent a specific idea or entity. Symbolism can be used as a means of spicing up your text and engaging your readers; it’s particularly useful in essay writing. Let’s define symbolism, see when you should use it, and understand how it makes a huge difference to our writing.

How do we define symbolism?

You are already familiar with some of the literal devices that help narratives stand out——the metaphor or the paradox, for example——they’re tools taught in any school or university. Symbolism is no different. It is a literal device that helps readers identify with the text. Whether a poem, novel or short story, if there are recurring motifs used, it’s probably symbolism at work, try re-reading the text, there may be deeper meaning than at first glance.

Think about the symbols that surround us. We know that a cross can represent a church or death, and that a different type of cross could represent a hospital. We know that the Statue of Liberty represents the American notion of freedom; a deeper connotation could be Madonna with child representing the notion of motherhood. You can use your own symbols to portray ideas or entities in your text. If you’re not completely aware of how to use symbolism in your stories, you can always check out the free essay samples at https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/symbolism/ ; looking at an essay sample can help you familiarise yourself with other people’s work and understand how to use symbolism in your own work. Reading as much as you can is a must if you want to be a solid writer.

Why do we use symbolism?

The main reason writers choose symbolism as a key device in their storytelling is to add depth to their work. When you’re not directly telling the reader what you really mean but somehow point to it, your story grows. It shows stronger character, and it catches the imagination of their audience. Students must show readers what they mean through the text; this way, their narrative becomes more sophisticated. Telling something exactly how it is can be obvious and boring.

What are the most well-known symbols used?

There are three main types of symbols that you could use throughout your text. Let’s lay them out for you right here, you can think of ways you can present them in your work…

The Conventional Symbol

The best known of the three. The word ‘table’ represents a piece of furniture with four legs and a top; there’s no inherent relationship between the object and the word. English speakers simply agree, by convention, that the word ‘table’ refers to that particular type of furniture. Also consider flags, images that have a story behind them, but their design ultimately a convention; most folk don’t know the stories behind the flags of countries, they just ‘are’.

The Accidental Symbol

The opposite of a conventional symbol in that it is based on personal experience, but again there is no firm relation between the symbol and what it symbolises. If someone has a bad experience in a certain place they will learn to connect that place with negative emotions; if you eat something terrible, you will associate that with the type of food or restaurant. In contrast to the conventional, though, the accidental symbol cannot be shared by anyone else. For this reason accidental symbols are rarely used in myths, fairy tales, or works of art written in symbolic language because they are not easy to convey unless the writer adds a lengthy comment to each symbol they use.

The Universal Symbol

Here there is an intrinsic relationship between the symbol and what it represents, it is most likely what your teacher is talking about when close reading an essay. Universal symbols are understood across time and culture; because they link the external world to the internal, sensory one. Emotions and sensory experiences endure, so stories heavy in universal symbolism do also. A fire is symbolic of power and energy; a flock of black birds are symbolic of darkness and impending doom.

Photo, Artem Maltsev.

How should you use symbolism in your writing?

Symbolism can be very effective in showing without telling. This can make your story more interesting to read and thus, more popular. Let’s look in more detail at how you can use symbolism throughout your narrative…

Showing without telling:

The first, most common way of doing it. For example, in Harry Potter, the characters of Harry, Hermione, and Ron could be read as a symbolic definition for one’s thoughts, emotions, and actions in alignment. Harry could be seen as a symbol for action, Hermione for thought, and Ron for emotions. When they’re working together, a person is balanced and can succeed.

Adding imagery in the context:

Looking at 1984 , we can understand that Orwell refers to ‘Big Brother’ as the government, for example. This image helps him get the symbol right in the reader’s mind.

The darker meaning of a symbol:

Using symbols for dark purposes could also be a risk worth taking. Looking at the Harry Potter saga again, Voldemort used as a negative character is a symbol for power-hunger men who rule the world. This can be dark and scary but it gets the message across.

Connecting themes and characters:

Symbols could also be used to connect various themes throughout the text. For example, money and materialism are strongly connected in the Great Gatsby through the symbol of language.

How the Power of Symbolism Can Elevate Your Essay Writing for Exam Success

Symbolism in essay writing can significantly enhance the depth and impact of your arguments, which is often recognized and rewarded in exams. By using symbols, you can convey complex ideas and themes in a more nuanced and sophisticated manner. This not only demonstrates a deeper understanding of the material but also shows the examiner that you can think critically and creatively, which are highly valued skills in academic assessments.

Incorporating symbolism can also make your essay more engaging and memorable. Symbols have the power to evoke emotions and provoke thought, making your arguments more compelling and resonant. When you use symbolism effectively, you create layers of meaning in your writing, which can help your essay stand out in the minds of examiners. This can be particularly beneficial in exams where originality and insight are key to achieving higher grades.

As website Examsnap explains to us, symbolism can help you organize and structure your essay more effectively. By using symbols as central themes or motifs, you can create a cohesive narrative that ties your arguments together, making your essay more coherent and easier to follow. This can lead to a more polished and professional piece of writing, which is likely to score higher in exams. Overall, mastering the use of symbolism in essay writing can give you a significant edge in academic evaluations.

Wrapping Up

Using symbols in your text is a great way to help your readers visualise the story. It can also be a tool to explaining more complicated or complex processes within a story. Plus, using symbolism adds to the emotion of the text and keeps readers in your fictional world.

Vendy Adams is a researcher and content writer. He is well versed in his skills and passionate about reading. Vendy likes to volunteer and help students succeed academically in his free time.

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How to Use Symbolism in Your Writing

Last Updated: March 4, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Melessa Sargent . Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media. The Network serves its members by providing educational programming, developing access and opportunity through alliances with industry professionals, and furthering the cause and quality of writing in the entertainment industry. Under Melessa's leadership, SWN has won numbers awards including the Los Angeles Award from 2014 through 2021, and the Innovation & Excellence award in 2020. This article has been viewed 21,769 times.

Symbolism, or using symbols to represent abstract ideas or qualities, is an important factor in fiction writing. It adds layers and gives your writing a more poetic voice. But it can be hard to strike the right balance between effective, subtle symbolism and hitting your reader over the head with clichés. Understanding the different kinds of symbolism you can use in your writing is a good place to start. Once you know about the different types of symbols you can incorporate into your writing, try adding some in to represent goals, dreams, feelings, and even events in your story.

Exploring Types of Symbolism

• Symbols can represent small or large ideas. Try starting with something small. Describing a character who is prone to anger as wearing bright red can help your reader make a visual connection to a personality trait.

• While metaphors connect a symbol subtly and indirectly to a story or a character, a simile is a much more direct way to make a connection.

• You don't need to use symbolism to describe every emotional moment. Save it for especially poignant moments.

• Using symbols to represent themes, rather than a character, is a good way to incorporate symbolism without being too heavy-handed.

• Using too many universal symbols can come off as cliché.

• For example, in Harry Potter , the character Albus Dumbledore's first name comes from the Latin word for white. This symbolizes his role as a good wizard, but wouldn't be obvious to every reader.
• If you aren't sure where to start, use a symbol that is personal to you, like the name of a character from one of your favorite books or an object from your childhood.

Practicing Using Symbolism

• Fairytales like Aesop's Fables are good examples of allegories. Read a few different ones to get an idea of what allegories look like.

• If you think you may be using too much symbolism, ask yourself if your story would still be engaging without the symbolism. If not, work on fleshing out the characters and the plot and toning down the symbolism.

• Goals can be concrete or abstract. Either way, you, the writer, should have a deep understanding of your character's motivations.

• You can also use a recurring symbol to create an emotional response. A classic example is the green light in The Great Gatsby that represents longing. Over the course of the story, the symbol becomes more and more meaningful.

• For example, if you don't want to end your story with the death of a character, try describing a natural ending like a sunset or winter.

• For example, if you find yourself using weather imagery over and over again, take a closer look at where you are using that imagery. Does it seem to reflect how your characters are feeling? Try expanding your descriptions or being more intentional about the placement of the imagery so that readers can make the connection to emotion.

Expert Q&A

• Revising is an important part of working with symbolism. Read over your own work and look for places you can add symbolism to strengthen the story you've already written. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about tips to be an author, check out our in-depth interview with Melessa Sargent .

• ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-what-is-symbolism-symbolism-definition-and-examples-in-literature#how-to-use-symbolism-in-writing-in-2-easy-steps
• ↑ https://www.thebalancecareers.com/symbol-definition-fiction-writing-1277138
• ↑ https://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/symbolism-how-to-make-it-work-in-your-writing/
• ↑ https://writershelpingwriters.net/2014/07/5-important-ways-use-symbolism-story/
• ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-what-is-symbolism-symbolism-definition-and-examples-in-literature#5-ways-to-use-symbolism-in-writing

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Symbolism

Essays on Symbolism

Symbolism essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: the power of symbolism in literature.

Thesis Statement: Symbolism serves as a powerful literary device, allowing authors to convey deeper meanings, emotions, and themes in their works, enriching the reader's experience and interpretation.

• Introduction
• Defining Symbolism in Literature
• Types of Literary Symbols
• The Function of Symbols in Storytelling
• Analysis of Symbolism in Select Literary Works

Essay Title 2: Religious Symbolism in Art and Culture

Thesis Statement: Religious symbolism has played a profound role in art and culture, reflecting spiritual beliefs, values, and cultural narratives across different societies and time periods.

• Exploring Religious Symbols and Their Significance
• Examples of Religious Symbolism in Art and Architecture
• The Influence of Religious Symbols on Cultural Practices
• Interpreting the Cross-Cultural Impact of Religious Symbolism

Essay Title 3: Symbolism in Film: Visual Storytelling Beyond Words

Thesis Statement: Symbolism in film allows directors to convey complex ideas, emotions, and themes through visual and auditory cues, adding depth to cinematic narratives and enhancing viewer engagement.

• The Role of Visual and Auditory Symbols in Film
• Symbolism in Iconic Movie Scenes
• The Connection Between Film Symbolism and Viewer Interpretation
• Exploring Symbolism in a Range of Film Genres

Symbolism in "The Handmaid's Tale"

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Symbolism refers to a literary technique used to imbue objects, actions, or characters with deeper, abstract meanings that extend beyond their literal representation. It is a creative device employed by writers to convey complex ideas, emotions, or themes in a condensed and evocative manner. Through the use of symbols, writers invite readers to delve into the layers of meaning within a narrative or poem, encouraging them to interpret and uncover hidden messages.

The literary device of symbolism has its origins in ancient civilizations, where symbols were used to represent abstract concepts or ideas. Symbolism can be traced back to ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece, where symbols were employed in religious rituals, mythologies, and artistic expressions. In Western literature, the concept of symbolism gained prominence during the Romantic era in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Romantic poets and writers, such as William Blake and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, utilized symbols to convey deeper meanings and evoke emotional responses in their works. However, the formalization and recognition of symbolism as a distinct literary device occurred in the late 19th century with the emergence of the Symbolist movement in France. Symbolist poets, including Charles Baudelaire and Stéphane Mallarmé, embraced symbolism as a means to explore the realm of the subconscious, spirituality, and the metaphysical. They sought to convey complex ideas and emotions through carefully crafted symbols and metaphors.

William Shakespeare: The celebrated playwright often incorporated symbolism in his works. For example, in his tragedy "Macbeth," the symbol of blood represents guilt and the characters' moral decay. Nathaniel Hawthorne: Known for his novel "The Scarlet Letter," Hawthorne used symbolism extensively. The scarlet letter itself becomes a symbol of shame and societal judgment. F. Scott Fitzgerald: In his classic novel "The Great Gatsby," Fitzgerald skillfully employs symbols such as the green light, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and the Valley of Ashes to convey themes of wealth, corruption, and the American Dream. J.R.R. Tolkien: The author of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy used symbols to enrich his fantastical world. The One Ring is a potent symbol of power and corruption, while the White Tree of Gondor represents hope and renewal. Emily Dickinson: The renowned poet often employed symbolism in her works, using objects and natural elements to explore profound themes of love, death, and nature.

The Rose: Often associated with love and beauty, the rose symbolizes passion, desire, and romance. It can also represent fragility or the balance between pleasure and pain. The Dove: A universal symbol of peace and purity, the dove is frequently used to represent harmony, innocence, and hope. It can appear in works dealing with themes of reconciliation and the search for tranquility. The Cross: As a religious symbol, the cross signifies sacrifice, redemption, and faith. It often appears in works with themes of spirituality, salvation, or moral struggles. The Journey: Symbolizing transformation and personal growth, the journey represents the protagonist's quest for self-discovery, knowledge, or enlightenment. It can be a physical or metaphorical journey. The Mirror: Reflecting both the literal and metaphorical sense, the mirror represents self-reflection, self-awareness, and truth. It can delve into themes of identity, perception, and the search for inner meaning. The Raven: Often associated with darkness and mystery, the raven symbolizes death, loss, and the haunting presence of the unknown. It can evoke a sense of foreboding or symbolize the protagonist's descent into madness.

Representation: Symbolism involves the use of objects, characters, or elements to represent abstract ideas, concepts, or themes. By imbuing these symbols with meaning, writers can add layers of depth to their storytelling. Multiple Interpretations: Symbols are open to interpretation, allowing readers to derive their own meanings from them. They can evoke different emotions and resonate with readers in unique ways, making literature more subjective and thought-provoking. Enhancing Themes: Symbolism helps writers convey complex themes and ideas that may be difficult to express directly. Symbols serve as vehicles for exploring profound concepts such as love, death, spirituality, or societal issues, enabling a deeper understanding of the text. Engaging Imagery: Symbols often create vivid and memorable imagery in readers' minds. By using concrete and tangible objects to represent abstract concepts, writers can make their works more visually and emotionally captivating. Unifying Elements: Symbols can unify a literary work by recurring throughout the narrative, connecting various elements and creating cohesion. They provide a thread that ties different parts of the story together, reinforcing the central themes or motifs.

Depth and Complexity: Symbols add depth and complexity to a story, allowing authors to convey abstract or complex ideas that may be difficult to express directly. Symbols provide a means to explore emotions, themes, and concepts in a more nuanced and evocative way. Communication and Universality: Symbols have the power to transcend language and cultural barriers. They can communicate ideas and emotions universally, allowing readers from different backgrounds to connect and interpret the text on a deeper level. Multiple Layers of Meaning: Symbols offer multiple layers of meaning, inviting readers to engage in a deeper exploration of the text. They can represent different ideas or evoke various emotions, allowing for rich interpretation and analysis. Engagement and Interpretation: Symbols engage readers by requiring active interpretation. They invite readers to analyze, speculate, and search for hidden meanings, fostering a deeper engagement with the text. Evoking Imagery and Emotion: Symbols have the ability to create vivid imagery and evoke strong emotions. They can enhance the sensory experience of reading by appealing to the reader's senses and emotions. Memorable and Lasting Impact: Symbols can leave a lasting impact on readers. They can resonate with readers long after they finish the book, sparking contemplation and discussion.

1. Jones, E. (1918). The theory of symbolism. British Journal of Psychology, 9(2), 181. (https://www.proquest.com/openview/2b14884988f835d9d43c8d43c338ae64/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1818401) 2. Chadwick, C. (2017). Symbolism. Routledge. (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315270418/symbolism-charles-chadwick) 3. Cohen, A. (1979). Political symbolism. Annual Review of Anthropology, 8(1), 87-113. (https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.an.08.100179.000511?journalCode=anthro) 4. Deal, T. E. (1985). The symbolism of effective schools. The Elementary School Journal, 85(5), 601-620. (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/461424?journalCode=esj) 5. Sapir, E. (1929). A study in phonetic symbolism. Journal of experimental psychology, 12(3), 225. (https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1929-04177-001) 6. Walzer, M. (1967). On the role of symbolism in political thought. Political Science Quarterly, 82(2), 191-204. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/2147214) 7. Yeats, W. B., & Yeats, W. B. (1961). The Symbolism of Poetry. Essays and Introductions, 153-164. (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-00618-2_10) 8. Ladner, G. B. (1979). Medieval and modern understanding of symbolism: a comparison. Speculum, 54(2), 223-256. (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.2307/2854972) 9. Evarts, A. B. (1919). Color symbolism. Psychoanalytic Review, 6(2), 124-157. (https://pep-web.org/browse/document/psar.006.0124a) 10. Plog, S. (2003). Exploring the ubiquitous through the unusual: color symbolism in Pueblo black-on-white pottery. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-antiquity/article/abs/exploring-the-ubiquitous-through-the-unusual-color-symbolism-in-pueblo-blackonwhite-pottery/6CC6A0F2C99947B0278AAA41CEF413D American Antiquity, 68(4), 665-695.

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How to Write an Essay on Settings

Kori morgan, 26 sep 2017.

Whether it's an alien planet or a spooky castle on a hill, setting often plays an important role in establishing meaning in stories. An analysis of setting focuses on the role location plays in a story, such as creating mood, developing characters or serving as a symbol. You can write an effective essay on literary setting by considering the specific ways the location influences the story and using clear examples with textual evidence.

Explore this article

• Mood and Symbolism
• Setting and Character
• Essay Development

1 Mood and Symbolism

Determine the role setting plays in the work. Often, setting creates the story's mood, or atmosphere. In "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," Flannery O'Connor establishes an eerie mood of anticipation as the characters travel an isolated Georgia highway where a serial killer roams free. Setting can also be symbolic of a particular idea within the story. The small town in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," where the townspeople sacrifice one person each year to ensure a good harvest, is symbolic of their adherence to tradition and resistance to change.

2 Setting and Character

You can also write about how setting affects character. In Jack London's "To Build a Fire," the subzero conditions of the Yukon advance the story by forcing him to adapt to survive. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," the contrasting neighborhoods of East Egg and West Egg create the novel's social class dichotomy. Setting can also serve as a story's antagonist. In Kathryn Stockett's "The Help," Jackson, Mississippi, is the antagonist, as its rigid attitudes toward race stand in the way of protagonist Skeeter's goal of writing a book about the town's African American maids.

Your thesis should clearly and specifically state the setting's role in the work and how it is established. To determine this, go back through the story and underline specific passages where the setting establishes mood, symbolism or character. Take the most important three details and formulate your thesis. A sample thesis might read, "The setting of 'The Lottery' symbolizes society's tendency to cling to tradition through the descriptions in the opening, the interactions of the townspeople and the fact that it is the story's only setting."

4 Essay Development

Your essay's body paragraphs should include topic sentences followed by an explanation of the point with textual evidence. If you were writing about "The Lottery," you might quote the details in the first paragraph for your point of how the opening introduces the setting. Then you might step back and discuss the significance of the details, tying your point back to the thesis. For example, Jackson's description of the town square enhances the setting's symbolism because it is relatively generic. It could be any small town, just as the rigid thinking of tradition can belong to any community.

5 Conclusion

The concluding paragraph reviews the elements of setting you've discussed and briefly restates how they relate to your thesis. A good conclusion doesn't merely summarize the essay but instead wraps it up in a way that gives unity to the piece and introduces something new for readers to consider. For example, the conclusion of your "Lottery" essay might discuss how even though the consequences of opposing tradition aren't always life-threatening, it is still easy to cling to certain ideas in a way that alienates people who oppose them.

• 1 Bucks County Community College: How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay
• 2 Writer's Digest: Discover The Basic Elements of Setting in a Story

About the Author

Kori Morgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in professional writing and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and has been crafting online and print educational materials since 2006. She taught creative writing and composition at West Virginia University and the University of Akron and her fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in numerous literary journals.

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Bangladesh Needs a New Story

By Tahmima Anam

Ms. Anam is a Bangladeshi-born novelist.

In Bangladesh, we are experts at erasing history.

Ever since our young nation was born 53 years ago in a traumatic war of liberation from Pakistan, historical amnesia and censorship have afflicted Bangladeshis like a chronic illness. When a regime is toppled, its successor moves quickly to erase the symbols and legacy of the previous one as if it had never existed.

That is why, for decades, when one of the two political parties that have dominated Bangladesh — the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party — was in power, the other would often boycott Parliament or refuse to participate in elections it alleged were rigged. There has never been a healthy relationship between the people in power and those who oppose them. Party was always placed before country.

This has been a curse, preventing solid democratic institutions from flourishing in Bangladesh and making our politics fractious, hateful and peppered with violence and counterviolence.

The unexpected revolution that toppled the increasingly autocratic and corrupt rule of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this month offers Bangladesh a chance to break free of this cycle. What makes this revolution unprecedented and so meaningful is that it was a grass-roots movement led by idealistic university students, not one of the warring main political parties. As a Bangladeshi, I am watching with jubilation.

Yet, I also worry that the old Bangladeshi reflex to expunge the past is kicking in.

Just a few weeks ago, when visitors flew into Dhaka, the capital, they were greeted at the airport by an enormous mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ms. Hasina’s father, who was the leader of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence movement and the nation’s founding figure. In 1975, when he was president, he was assassinated in a military coup along with most of his family. The mural’s caption welcomed travelers to “Mujib’s Bangladesh.”

Since Ms. Hasina’s overthrow, portraits and statues of Sheikh Mujib are being defaced and taken down across the country. His former home, which had become a museum to his memory, was looted and set on fire . Ms. Hasina’s declaration of Aug. 15 — the anniversary of her father’s assassination — as a national day of mourning was canceled .

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