Symbolism and Symbols (Figurative Language)

Symbolism and Symbols

The importance and wonder of symbolism today has nowhere been better conveyed than in the enormous popularity of the recent novel (and its film adaptation) The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. Many students find symbolism one of the most difficult aspects of literature to comprehend, but an understanding of this pervasive device is perhaps the first threshold separating the novice from the more experienced reader. Most simply defined, a symbol is something which is presented both as itself, and as a representation of something, or some things, else. The emphasis is added here because many students forget the importance of the thing itself to the literary work; it is important to understand what a symbol is referring to, but it is vital to remember that the thing itself should not be forgotten when attempting to find its secondary meaning.

There are many kinds of symbols which can be categorized in many different ways, but I find it most useful to consider them according to two categories: general symbols, and contextual symbols. These categories are not mutually exclusive since general symbols are often used in specific contexts to present different shades of meaning, but considering them in this way allows us to see the different ways symbols can be generated, and generative of different meanings.

A general symbol relies primarily on its linguistic and social history for its secondary meanings.

These symbols are in the social consciousness, and will be known and understood by most mature individuals and even young children in some cases. A very well known example is the heart. When I draw this on a greeting card, it immediately suggests love, and I can even use this symbol as a stand-in for the word love since it is so well known. Because it is so well known, and well worn, this symbol is not common in literature, but it does display in a very obvious manner what a symbol is.

A more subtle example of a general symbol in use in literature might be a passage in a novel or a line in a poem that shows a dove flying overhead. The dove has been widely known as a symbol for peace throughout history, and so its inclusion in a literary work will immediately suggest peace. Note that the context in which the dove appears is not vitally important to our recognition of it as a specific symbol. It has a long social history as a symbol of peace, and so whenever we see it, it carries these associations.

Contextual symbols on the other hand are not reliant on social conventions, but rather on the context in which they occur.

Imagine for a moment a story which features a treasure hunt at sea, where the gold is rumored to be contained within a giant oyster. Throughout the story, we see images and engravings of oysters popping up all over the place. The heroes of the story are at one point trapped inside a huge building complex which is shaped like an oyster. Perhaps there is also a secret society with an oyster as its logo. In this case, the oyster begins to stand for secrecy, darkness, and the protection of important things. There are certain characteristics of the oyster that make this somewhat appropriate, like its hard shell, dark interior, the difficulty in opening it, and its famed ability to occasionally produce and conceal pearls. So, even though the oyster is not generally considered a symbol of these things in everyday language and society, the context in which it resides makes it a symbol throughout the story in which it appears.