1. Symbolism: What to look for in stories Shannon Phillips

2. What is a Symbol? A symbol stands for something... compares two unlike things... The American flag stands for freedom. A wedding band stands for marriage. A heart stands for love. Symbols have literal and figurative meanings. Literal = actual meaning of the item Figurative = representative

3. Identifying a Symbol 1.Look for clues at the beginning and end of the story, and everywhere in between. They will be repeated--and repeated often! 2.The symbol remains a symbol within the context of the story. 3.The symbols meaning is deep and provides insight to the story or a character. 4.A symbol often holds more than one meaning.

4. Types of Symbols Natural Symbols: Made by Nature Conventional Symbols: Made by Man Open Symbols: Have more than one meaning. Closed Symbols: Have only one meaning.

5. Analysis of a Symbol When a symbol has been found, put it to a test: Define it: What are its literal and figurative meanings? Is the symbol natural or conventional? Open or closed? Where are the symbols located in the text? Mark the page, paragraph, and passage. Quote it! What does the symbol reveal about the story?

6. Your turn... Look for symbols in stories. What symbol(s) can you find? Write a one-page analysis of a symbol from one of the stories we have read. Remember to include quotes and proof from the text in the analysis. Since symbols appear in stories several times, do not include and analyze only one quoteinclude a few.