“Is That a Symbol?”

In Simple Terms, A Symbol is…

• A person, place, thing or event that stands for itself and something beyond itself.

• Something you can make associations or connections with.

A Symbol Can Be:

• An object

• An image

• A person

• An event

• An action

• A name

• A color

• A weather event

How Can I Find Symbols in a Text?

Simple – follow your instincts!

– If something comes up often in a text, it’s probably

important.

– If YOU think it’s important, it probably is (Foster

97).

I think I Know What This Symbol Means, But….

A symbol can only stand for one thing, right?

WRONG.

Though most symbols have a limited range of potential

meanings, most can’t be reduced to standing for one thing

(98).

-> Having a range of

meanings makes the

text more complex

and allows for

endless possible

interpretations

(Foster 99).

So…What Strategies Can I Use to Figure Out What this Symbol Represents?

-Questioning

-Analyzing details

-Make generalizations

Types of Questions to Ask Yourself

• Consider the symbol in general – what does it

ordinarily mean? What would a normal person

think of it?

For example, what do you think of when you think of a shark?

Ask Yourself When Reading…• How do the characters of the text consider

and interact with the symbol?

• Where in the text does this symbol appear?

Example: When does the butterfly appear in “A Sound of Thunder”? Why is it important?

But most importantly…

What do I think about this symbol?

“What [something] symbolizes will to a large

extent be determined by how the individual

reader engages the text. Every reader’s

experience of every work is unique, largely

because each person will emphasize various

elements to differing degrees…We bring

individual history to our reading” (101).

Works Cited

Baldick, Chris. “Symbol.” Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.

Beers, et. Alt. “Symbolism.” Elements of Literature. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2009. Print.

Foster, Thomas C. “Is That a Symbol?” How to Read Literature Like a Professor. New York: Harper Collins Books, 2003. Print.

Symbol Practice

• Turn to page 476 in the textbook

Symbol Analysis Practice• In small groups, work together to analyze a given

symbol: the scarlet ibis, the color red, the barn loft, rain, the clove of seasons

• On your poster paper, explain the following:– What the symbol means, according to your reading,

and what YOU think it stands for– A quotation which features the symbol and an

explanation of what the quote means– How it contributes to the overall message of the textBe prepared to share your answer with the class!