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Symbolism



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Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:41 pm
Stori says...



I don't understand this at all. Can someone give me a hand?
  





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Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:23 pm
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Kale says...



Symbolism is basically when you take something and make it represent something else. For example, a sunset could be used as a symbol for death or an ending in addition to signaling the end of a day. Some other common symbols are the heart shape for love, roses for passion, a smiley face for happiness, and the cross for Christianity.

There are a lot of common symbols that we don't realize are symbols because we encounter them so often, such as words and numbers.

Symbolism when used in writing or other forms of art is often a type of shorthand that tells your reader what is going on. For instance, when the lone cowboy rides off into the sunset at the end of the movie, you know that's the last time anyone in the town will ever see him. Sometimes though symbolism is created specifically for a piece to enhance it; this is especially common in poetry.

When you're looking for symbolism in a work, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for recurring elements or themes; odds are they tie into or are represented by at least one symbol. Symbols don't have to be particularly noticeable either; they can be as subtle as the main color of a memory. Compare a memory that's described as "golden" to one described as "gray"; the golden memory is more pleasant while the gray memory is depressing due to the symbolism of the colors.

Oftentimes, if you look at your own writing, you'll find that you've snuck in symbols unintentionally, and that's because symbols are so prevalent in our own lives.

So basically, symbols are things that can stand in for other things. Symbolism is what results when you use symbols. So when you're looking for symbolism, your looking for symbols and how they were used.
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“Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all -
— Emily Dickinson