Assignment 3.4: Symbolism

2. Symbolism

A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself.  In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. 

Conventional Symbols  

Most of us are familiar with conventional symbols such as the Christian cross, the Nazi swastika, or the Canadian flag.

We understand that these symbols can convey different meanings to different people and in different circumstances.

• The Christian cross symbolizes one thing when it is located on a church, and quite another when it is burning on the front lawn of someone's home.
       
• The Canadian flag represents love of country, security, and pride when it is sewn on the coat of a Canadian tourist, but it represents hatred and extremism when in the hands of an angry mob.

Literary Symbols

Literary symbols do not have a publicly accepted meaning; rather, they depend upon the context of a story or poem for their meaning. An example of this occurs in Lord of the Flies where the conch shell symbolizes freedom of speech and democracy. Outside the novel, a conch shell is simply something one might find on a beach.