The Apple That Wasn’t Just an Apple
When Maya read The Giver in middle school, she didn’t understand why the red apple mattered so much. It was just fruit—until her teacher smiled and said, “Look again.”
That’s when it clicked: the apple was more than an apple—it meant awareness, change, and seeing beyond the surface.
This is the magic of symbolism.
Symbolism is one of the most powerful types of figurative language—inviting us to go deeper, feel more, and find truths that aren’t spelled out, but still understood.
Let’s explore how symbolism works, how it differs from literal language, and why it matters so deeply in literature and life.
🧠 What Is Symbolism in Figurative Language?
Symbolism is a form of figurative language where an object, person, or event represents something beyond its literal meaning.
📘 Definition: A symbol is anything that stands for something else—often an abstract idea like love, fear, death, or hope.
🧩 Figurative vs. Literal: Literal says, “This is an apple.” Figurative (symbolism) says, “This apple means change, temptation, or life.”
💬 Purpose: It deepens the meaning, allowing writers to convey complex emotions or themes without stating them outright.
🖋️ Used in: Poetry, stories, essays, film, song lyrics, and even dreams.
🌱 Example: A tree can symbolize growth. A road can symbolize life’s journey. Rain can symbolize sadness or cleansing.
In essence, symbolism helps us feel what the words don’t say outright—it opens the emotional and spiritual layers of language.
✍️ Examples of Symbolism as Figurative Language
Here are eight powerful examples of symbolism used in literature, culture, and everyday expressions:
- The Raven (Edgar Allan Poe): Symbol of death and unrelenting grief
- White Dove: Peace, purity, and divine presence
- Broken Mirror: Bad luck or a shattered identity
- Chains: Oppression or emotional bondage
- Rising Sun: Hope, rebirth, or a new beginning
- Water: Purification, rebirth, or transformation
- Clock (in The Great Gatsby): The illusion of stopping time
- Autumn Leaves: Aging, transition, or letting go
These symbols don’t always spell out their meaning—they invite you to feel it.
🔁 How Symbolism Functions in Figurative Language
Symbolism works like a bridge—connecting the visible to the invisible.
🪄 Transforms simple objects into deeper meaning
📚 Helps authors show rather than tell
🧠 Triggers emotion and reflection in the reader
🔮 Can vary in meaning based on cultural or spiritual context
🧱 Builds theme and depth into narratives or poetry
🌈 Allows a single image to carry multiple emotional truths
🎭 Helps express the ineffable—things words can’t easily explain
Symbolism invites interpretation. That’s its power—and its beauty.
🌍 Symbolism in Life, Culture & Literature (3 Real-World Scenarios)
1. The White Dress at Graduation
Sarah wore white not just for style, but because it symbolized new beginnings and personal purity. Her grandmother said it honored their family’s spiritual tradition.
2. The Empty Chair at Dinner
When David lost his father, he kept his dad’s chair empty at family meals. It became a symbol of memory, grief, and silent presence.
3. The Rose in the Poem
In a spoken word piece about first love, Jalen used a single blooming rose as a symbol of vulnerability, pain, and the beauty of being open.
❓ FAQs About Symbolism as Figurative Language
Q1: What is symbolism in figurative language?
A: It’s when objects or actions represent deeper meanings, like a heart symbolizing love or a storm symbolizing conflict.
Q2: Is symbolism the same as metaphor?
A: No. A metaphor says one thing is another (“Love is a battlefield”). Symbolism uses an object to represent something abstract (a battlefield symbolizes love’s struggles).
Q3: Why do writers use symbolism?
A: To evoke emotion, build deeper themes, and help readers connect with ideas in a more imaginative, layered way.
Q4: Can colors be symbols?
A: Yes! Red often symbolizes passion or danger, white purity, black mystery or grief, and gold wealth or divinity.
Q5: How can I recognize symbolism when reading?
A: Look for recurring objects or images that seem to carry emotional weight. Ask: “What could this stand for beyond the literal?”
💖 Conclusion: More Than What Meets the Eye
Symbolism is the soul of figurative language.
It teaches us that everything—from a leaf to a star—can carry meaning if we learn to see beyond the surface.
In writing, in art, and in life, symbolism lets us speak with silence, feel with metaphors, and understand truths that can’t be said directly. It reminds us that the smallest object can carry the biggest message.
So next time you notice a bird, a feather, or a sunset in a story—or in real life—ask yourself: “What might this mean to my spirit?”
Because that’s when the real message begins.
William Blake is a poet, painter, and mystic whose visionary works merged art and spirituality. His deep symbolism, rooted in imagination and divine inspiration, continues to inspire seekers of truth. Blake believed that every symbol is a doorway to higher understanding and inner awakening.
