Power of Symbols

The power of symbols in literature can create so many insights into the text without people realizing it. When looking for or truly seeing them, literature opens up.

As a high school student forced to read and analyze a test, I hated it. I didn't understand the meanings behind the text or what it was doing - it was always simply a good read. Looking back, I should've paid more attention to this to convey meaning, adding depth and the engagement the author wanted me to see.

Symbols in text can vary from the smallest detail to the biggest. For instance, a black pot holding an oak tree sapling can show the readers, considering the context, that the oak tree is a symbol of power itself, and the pot can show that it could be dying or diminishing—the power of something is fading out. But what? The context can show that it can be nature, the person holding the pot, or even the atmosphere of power dying out.

Even if authors decide not to use symbols, the implications can lead to many doors. Readers like to use symbols in texts to add depth to the story and carry multiple layers of meaning. This invites interpretation of the text and deeper insights into how characters, nature, or atmosphere are doing in the world-building. These can be colors, animals, trees (like my own example), and many other things if you also know the meaning behind them.

Most of all, symbols make the text more engaging. Interpretation is in the eye of the beholder. You can discover personal meanings and relate to the story on a deeper level than you first thought.