Writing Tip: Symbolism
Symbolism is one of those things that tends to show up organically in any good story, but it takes our work to the next level when we use it intentionally.
While it’s an important element of stories that connect with us on a deeper level, I want to restate what I often do in these Writing Tip posts: What works for me isn’t automatically going to work for everyone else, and what’s resonated for me in terms of writing tips may not resonate with you. However, I do have some ideas for incorporating symbolism in effective and meaningful ways, and want to share some of those with you.
What Is Symbolism?
Let’s say you're reading a novel, and the author keeps bringing up a red rose. But it's not just any rose; it pops up whenever something significant is about to go down. Sometimes it’s subtle and sometimes it’s overt, but good writers often use symbolism to communicate deeper ideas without shouting them from the rooftops. Symbolism is when an object, action, or even a character represents something beyond its literal meaning. If you’re seeing things repeating, or if the writer is drawing attention to a particular detail, that likely indicates it’s something we should be paying attention to.
With the red rose… Perhaps it’s the color; the red might indicate passion, warning, or something else connected with the scene. Perhaps it’s highlighting the thorns on the stem, indicating something difficult or dangerous. Perhaps it’s a call back to an earlier scene where a character received a red rose as a sign of vulnerable connection, and it reappears later, petals wilting, symbolizing the loss of beauty or vitality throughout the story. It could symbolize a million things, and as writers, we get to decide how and when we infuse things with meaning.
Elevating Writing with Symbolism
Adding Layers of Meaning
Ever feel like your story needs a little something more? Enter symbolism. A simple object, like an acorn, can suddenly become a metaphor for life, strength, or resilience. Our readers get to find these little nuggets and discover for themselves what they mean. When we can actively engage our readers in seeking the deeper meaning of our work, we’re on the right track.
Enhancing Themes
Themes are a foundational pillar of any good story, in my opinion. Symbolism cranks up the volume. Sticking with the aforementioned acorn symbol, let's say your theme is resilience. Introduce a mighty oak tree standing tall against a storm, and suddenly, it's not just a tree—it's a symbol of strength, weathering challenges, and holding its ground. Let your readers experience the theme through the symbols you introduce.
Creating Emotional Impact
Want readers to feel the emotions through your words? Symbolism. Imagine a worn-out teddy bear in a deserted attic. It's not just a forgotten toy; it's a symbol of lost innocence, nostalgia, and the passage of time. Readers connect with the feels, thanks to that subtle symbol hanging out in the attic. Nobody can tell me they watched Toy Story (especially Toy Story 3) without crying! And while that may have been partially related to the storyline itself, my guess is it had more to do with the nostalgia of long-forgotten childhoods and the reality of growing up for the adult viewers.
Building Cohesive Imagery
Writers love painting pictures with words. Symbolism is like having a magic paintbrush that helps us bring a cohesive image to the story. Maybe there's a recurring image of a broken clock. Each time it appears, it's not just telling time—it's a symbol of fractured moments, missed opportunities, or the inevitability of change. Object symbolism is often used, but color, character, religion/spirituality, and natural forces can be used as well.
Symbolism Example From Literature
The Mockingjay
I think one very popular example of symbolism used in literature (and later in the movies), is the mockingjay in the Hunger Games series. Suzanne Collins is a masterclass in layered writing, and she utilizes symbolism better than most. It was an effective symbol for the rebellion because of all the meaning attached. The pin wouldn’t have incited such fear in the Capitol otherwise.
Quite literally, the mockingjay reinforced to the Capitol their ultimate lack of control over the districts, because the species only existed after their jabberjays, which were created by them to spy on the resistance. Jabberjays recorded and mimicked back everything they overheard in rebel meetings so the Capitol could tamp out any dissent. However, these creations began mating with mockingbirds, something the Capitol did not predict. We see the district citizens using jabberjays to share messages, and we even watch Katniss and Rue use them in the Hunger Games arena to communicate. They’re a constant reminder to the Capitol that they cannot control everything, and ironically, their own creations and measures of control were ultimately used against them.
Every time we see the mockingjay throughout the series, we know a rebellion is coming. It’s powerful because the symbolism is so deeply connected with the image. What was once under the control of the Capitol (the jabberjay) became a uniting force for the rebellion and reminder to the Capitol of their own failures (the mockingjay), ultimately leading to the downfall of the Capitol entirely.
How to Use Symbolism Like a Pro
We’re not all Suzanne Collins, but we can take a page from her book. These are just a few tips, but there are plenty of great resources online if you’re interested in diving deeper. For now, let’s touch on 4 ways we can use symbolism in our work.
Think Beyond the Obvious
Don't stop at the first idea that pops into your head. Dig deeper. If you want a symbol for love, maybe it's not just a heart. Get creative, and surprise your readers with unexpected symbols. I used the acorn earlier because it’s one of the symbols in my unpublished series, The Manifold Chronicles. One of the protagonists gifts an acorn to the other as a symbol of their love, keeping a matching one for herself. It reappears throughout the book anytime they need a reminder of the shared life they’ve grown together, or when they need strength, comfort, or resilience as they’re facing challenges.
Consider Context
Symbols change based on the context. Think about how your symbols shift meaning in different scenes. Sticking with the acorn, it becomes progressively more worn and cracked as the story moves forward, and in one scene where she is facing the loss of her child (alone, at that… her partner is gone), the protagonist sees an acorn shape in the peeling paint of her closet’s frame. It’s a symbol of their home, but the peeling paint subtly shows the brokenness she’s feeling without her partner in the face of tragedy, and is a foreshadowing of the incoming destruction of her family.
Let Symbols Evolve
Symbols are dynamic. They can evolve as your story unfolds. That rusty old bicycle leaning against a tree? Initially, it might symbolize abandonment, but as the story progresses, it could transform into a metaphor for rediscovered adventures. One of the things I love most about literature is its vital nature. Stories are alive, and when we let them change and grow and evolve, we end up naturally infusing our stories with deeper meaning.
Connect Symbols to Characters
Characters are the heart of your story, so why not let them facilitate the connection between the symbol and the reader? If your protagonist has a thing for collecting seashells, make those shells a symbol of their yearning for freedom or the untapped potential within. Make it meaningful to them, and make it show another side for the reader to explore within the character.
This is definitely one of the writing elements I believe can immediately elevate writing from good to great. It's a tool that adds layers, depth, and that extra bit of meaning we all find satisfying in a fantastic story. Whether you choose to make it something overt and explicitly stated, or you opt for a subtler approach, symbolism might be what takes your writing to the next level.
Happy writing!
