What does symbol mean in literature?

What does symbol mean in literature?

A symbol is anything that hints at something else, usually something abstract, such as an idea or belief. A literary symbol is an object, a person, a situation, or an action that has a literal meaning in a story but suggests or represents other meanings.

What is an example of a symbol in literature?

However, symbols can also take the form of words, images, colors, or actions. (For example, the cross is a symbol of Christianity; the red stripes in the American flag represent courage and valor.) Symbols can also be found in just about every form of art: in our favorite songs, in films, and of course, in literature.

What is symbolic image literature?

Symbolic images stand for more than simply what appears before the eyes. They represent a deeper meaning behind the image — something, for example, that an artist wants viewers to get from the image without saying it. In literature, symbolism is used to represent a deeper layer to the plot of a story.

How does Frye explain symbols in literature?

Frye’s aim is to discover the various levels of symbolic meaning and to combine them into a comprehensive theory. “Symbol” is the first of three basic categories Frye uses to differentiate the five phases. Meaning is associated with pattern, structure, stasis, precept, and dream.

What are symbols used for?

A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different concepts and experiences.

How do you write symbols in literature?

4 Tips for Using Symbolism in Your Writing

• Begin with story and characters.
• Balance small-scale and large-scale symbolism.
• Don’t just use common symbols.
• Use symbolism to add emotional resonance.

How do you identify symbols in literature?

How to Tell When Something Is Really a Symbol

1. Look at descriptions. If a character is always dressed in purple clothing and wearing a crown, these items probably symbolize the character’s power, wealth, and royal status.
2. Look for repetition.
3. Pay attention to the turning points in a story.

What is Frye’s theory?

Frye’s theory of modes divides all of literature into five categories based on our relationship to the hero or protagonist of a story. At the one end of the spectrum we have the Mythic mode, where our protagonists are deities and demigods who are superior to us (the readers) and to their world.