SYMBOLISM & ALLEGORY

SYMBOLISM & ALLEGORYEnglish/Honors English 1Stout - 2013

Object, person, place, or action that has both a meaning in itself and that stands for something larger than itself (like an idea, belief, or value)

EX: A rose is a symbol of love, a wedding ring is a symbol of an everlasting promiseSymbols

Facts About SymbolsSymbols may appear in allegories

Symbols have multiple meanings

Symbols appear in everyday life, literature, poetry, and film

Symbols may be interpreted differently by different readersPublic SymbolsHold significance for a larger group, or nation

EX: flags, statues, monumentsThe ol red, white, and blueThe Statue of Liberty Washington Monument

Other Modes of SymbolismMotif (mo-tEEf)A recurring symbol or thematic element in an artistic or literary work

EX: In The Secret Life of Bees, the bees are woven throughout the novel to represent: exploration, maturation, rebirth, personal growth, etc.

EX: In The Hunger Games, fire is a motif. Katniss becomes the girl who was on fire not just physically/literally, but metaphorically to represent something much bigger

A reference to some event, person, place, or artistic work

EX: You are such a Scrooge. A Christmas Story

EX: You nose is growing. The Adventures of Pinocchio

EX: Sugar is my Achilles' heel. Greek Mythology AllusionAllegoryAn entire literary work that has a hidden meaning beneath the literal meaning

Relies on symbolism to teach a lesson or explain an ideaWhereas a symbol is a single object/person that represents more than itself, an allegory is an entire story that represents a larger idea

Think about itCreate a list of public symbols that represent our nation and our nations ideals

BONUS: think of a popular story that you think might be an allegory