SYMBOLISM IN LITERATURE

What is symbolism?

Symbolism is when the author uses an object or reference to add deeper meaning to a story.

Symbolism is used to provide meaning to the writing beyond what is actually being described.

A symbol can enhance a theme, idea or a character.

We have studied

Colors Objects Pieces of nature like the water or the sky

What else can be used for symbols?

Parts of the DAY can be symbolic of life..

For example, morning is the start of the day, and the start of life.

Night is often used to symbolize old age or approaching death. Think of the Elie Wiesel’s novel Night,

why do you think he titled it that?

Seasons can do the same thing… What part of life would Spring represent? What about Summer? Fall? And finally, Winter?

SO SYMBOLS CAN TELL US ABOUT CHARACTERS, PLOT, IDEAS AND THEMES.But how?

Let’s look at some examples of literature that uses symbols.

A theme may be represented through symbols.

For example, a storm occurring when there is a conflict or high emotions. Why do you think Dorothy was caught up in

a tornado in Kansas and swept away to Oz? What had her so upset before the storm

hit?

Harry Potter also has a lot of symbolism. One clear symbol is that of a snake to represent evil. It is no coincidence that they symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent.

The Raven….

Edgar Allan Poem used a lot of symbols in his literature. One of his most famous poems, The Raven, had a dark, sinister bird watching over him like a dark shadow. Why do you think in the poem about loss and death did Poe use a dark raven rather than a dove?

Star Wars

Have you ever seen Star Wars. Why do you think Luke SkyWalker wears white and Darth Vader wears all black? What do those colors symbolize? How do they show us more meaning about the characters?

Raisin in the Sun…

Another famous story of a family struggling is called Raisin in the Sun. In this story Mama has a plant which sits on the window sill.

What does a plant need to survive other than water? Sunlight, yes!

What might the sunlight be a symbol of as it tries to help the plant grow? What about hope or having a need filled? Those work.

And, what does a plant do? It grows. So the plant can also be a symbol of growth.

You’re a Mean One…

The Grinch dresses up as Santa Claus and sneaks into town to steal all of the food, presents, and even the Christmas trees in Who-ville.

To him, this was symbolic of Christmas. He wanted to steal Christmas. But, he fails. All of the Whos who live in Who-ville still wake up on

Christmas morning just as joyful as ever. They lift up another symbol of Christmas. Their song! It forces the Grinch to think that “Maybe Christmas…perhaps… means a little bit more”

So what does that symbolism do? It teaches a moral

Too often, children lack the understanding of the real meaning of Christmas. Everyone gets caught up in the commercial aspect of Christmas and forget the true reason for the holiday. They just want the gifts.

In this story, Dr. Seuss is putting emphasis on that real meaning of Christmas. When the Who’s wake up and are joyful despite the Grinch’s visit, it shows that the presents really do not matter.

Symbols are used in a lot of Fairy Tales.

There are many examples of food as symbolism in the German fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. The story begins with a lack of food. The woodcutter’s wife convinces her reluctant husband to take two children out into the woods so they will not have so many mouths to feed.

Lost in the woods, the children use bread crumbs to mark their way home. So the bread is a symbol of a way home.

However, they find the birds have eaten the crumbs and ruined their trail. While wandering in the woods, they come across a cottage built of gingerbread, which they begin to eat. The gingerbread house with its sugary sweetness is a false haven. In other words, they think they have found safety in food, but it is not real safety. They think it represents the wealth being the rich as opposed to the poor family’s lack of enough to go around.

So food is seen throughout the story.

Food has different meanings for the characters in the story. Bread symbolizes home and comfort, which the children have lost. To the birds, bread is food and to the old witch the children are the makings of her next meal. The children triumph when the witch is tricked by Gretel and pushed into the fire.

Let’s look at a

poem.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claimBecause it was grassy and wanted wear,Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I marked the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to wayI doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Let’s look at some of the lines in this poem.

Based on this line, what time of year is it?

If I said that time of year represented part of your life, what part of your life would it be?

The traveler is staring down a path that split in two. What could that represent?

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

Let’s Think…

Yellow is a FALL color. If life is broken into the seasons: Spring,

Summer, Fall and Winter, the fall is later in life, but not quite old age.

The path split in two could represent having to make a decision or a choice in life.

Notice…

Notice the Traveler’s description of the two paths.

The first path he looked down until it bent in the undergrowth. That means he could see the path a long way until it turned. The second was “grassy and wanted wear”. This means that the ground was smoother. There was grass, but you couldn’t tell if anyone had walked on it much.

If it “wanted wear” it seems that no one had been that way. He doesn’t say that about the first path. So, when he says he choose the one “less traveled” it means he choose the one where he didn’t see many people had walked on it.

…And looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claimBecause it was grassy and wanted wear,Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,

Frost finishes with a lesson…

The roads split and he took the one that fewer people had traveled on. If the road is a path in life, it means he didn’t follow the crowd. He choose his own path. And that is what has made all the difference.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference

So you see, symbolism can develop a character, or as in The Road Not Taken, it can develop a theme.

Now it is y

our

turn….

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice.

-Robert Frost

Why?What do they make you think when you read that poem?

What do you think Fire could be a symbol of?

What do you think Ice could be a symbol of?

Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. - Robert Frost

What do you think “first green” symbolizes?

What else makes you think it is spring?

What part of life does spring represent?

What does it mean then that nothing gold can stay?

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Where is the symbolism?

Y’all have done a great job finding and explaining the use of symbols in literature!