Why symbolism

In Greek mythology, Icarus tries to escape from Crete by fastening wings to his back made from feathers and wax. According to the myth, Icarus foolhardily flew too close to the sun—and fell into the ocean. This myth prompted the saying, "Don't fly too close to the sun. Filmmakers often attribute emotional significance to objects.

These visual symbols help draw attention to a character's motivations , which was the case of Orson Welles' film classic "Citizen Kane. The sled is one of the most famous symbols in film history. It's hard to identify a work of literature—from short poems to epic plays—that lacks some kind of symbolism. Authors like to use symbolism in their work because it accomplishes the following:.

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Uncommon symbols can be difficult to catch, so hinting may be necessary.

Story symbols give you the option to create your own symbols. Where does the red fern grow? Whether that one was a symbol beforehand, it is hard to tell. Uncommon and story symbols can be hard to distinguish. Story symbols are often the most powerful types of symbols. They usually root themselves in climactic events. A character in my upcoming novel loses his parents early in the story.

A type of flower, called a sword lily, becomes a symbol of surviving through his grief. There is no right way to symbolize. There are poor approaches, but there are no Symbol Police. When and where to use symbolism is often more important than the symbols used. Symbols, as well as metaphors, function best when they reoccur in the novel. Symbols should be introduced and reoccur at climactic points in the novel.

Reintroduction of a symbol should add depth. Thrown in haphazardly, symbols become meaningless and distracting. If you bring up a symbol too much it becomes annoying, like pop-ups in Internet Explorer 6. It will ruin you. Want your reader to completely miss the symbol?

Most readers, if not all, will miss it. Even when emphasizing the symbol, some readers will miss the symbolism. Some of the older classics cannot function without their symbolism. The story should entertain, even without the symbolism.

Similes often use the word "like" or "as. Unlike metaphors, similes are much more direct comparisons. An allegory refers to a narrative wherein a character, event or place delivers a larger message about a real-world concern or occurrence. In other words, it's a story in which most characters and plot developments are symbols for something else or in which the story in its entirety symbolizes a larger phenomenon in the real-world or society.

Rather than coming right out and saying it, allegories use characters and events to reveal a hidden meaning or message. An allegory is essentially an extended use of a metaphor and symbolism in general. An archetype refers to a story element such as an idea or character-type that reoccurs in stories and symbolizes something universal. For example, you can create a character based on certain qualities or traits that make them identifiable to readers.

In the literary world, archetypes refer to characters, images or themes that symbolically embody a universal meaning or human experience. This type of symbolism applies human attributes to something that isn't alive or human. For example, personification gives human form and sensibilities to various objects such as a chair, nature, a book or an abstract concept like love or hate.

Writers use personification to help their readers better relate to non-human things or objects. Hyperboles use an exaggeration to make a specific point or to add emphasis, whether for a comic or serious purpose. When used as a figure of speech, you're not meant to take a hyperbole literally. Like the opposite of an understatement, hyperboles are often extravagant and often ridiculous overstatements. Not only can a hyperbole catch your attention, but it can also show a contrast between two things.

While many authors use hyperboles in works of fiction, many people also use hyperboles in everyday speech. A metonymy substitutes a word with a close association to an entity for the name of the entity itself. In other words, you refer to a thing by the name of something closely associated with it.

Writers use metonymy to address something more poetically or uniquely. Metonymy also helps them give a more complex meaning to an otherwise general or ordinary word. Irony refers to a figure of speech wherein the intended meaning opposes the literal meaning of the words expressed. There are various types of irony including dramatic and verbal irony. Irony helps engage readers and adds another layer to a fictional tale.

Many works of literature include the use of some form of symbolism to create an impact. Typically, it's done by adding another meaning to something like an action, name or object.