Elements of Poetry
Symbolism and Allegory
A symbol is an object or action that means something beyond itself. This definition may seem vague, but think about how our society is based on symbols. You are making sense of the markings on this page because you have learned each letter as a symbol for a sound, and groups of sounds as symbols for objects. Seeing the markings "tree" on a page makes you visualize a tree, even though the markings on the page are just a representation of the concept of a tree that our society has agreed to use. Consider another example. If you are in class and look over to see a friend rolling her eyes, that action symbolizes to you that she is bored. All she did was to move her eyes from one side to another, but you took it to mean something more: the class wasn't exciting and your friend wanted to communicate that to you without using words.
In literature, symbols may not be as fixed as the two examples above. A writer can choose objects as symbols and the meaning may not stay the same, depending on how the symbol is used. For example, one common symbol is water. In some contexts water can represent life, as it is necessary for growth. However, in other contexts it can represent destruction, as in a flood or tempest. Fire can be used the same way. It can be a destructive force and represent death, but it can also represent purgation or purification. Therefore, a reader must always look at the context in which the symbol is used before interpreting it.
Using symbols is another way that writers can embed meaning into a text without having to explain in writing another meaning. This can be confusing for readers who are just beginning to analyze or interpret poetry, and a common question students ask is, "How do I know if it's a symbol or not?" If the object seems to be explained in detail or is very focused on in the poem, it may be a symbol. Read over the poem again and decide if it would warrant a deeper meaning.
Sometimes writers put symbols together into a narrative that is meant to teach a lesson. This type of writing is called an allegory. Read the following poem and consider what elements could be symbolic and what the lesson might be.
"Advice to My Son"
Peter Meinke
The trick is, to live your days
as if each one may be your last
(for they go fast, and young men lose their lives
in strange and unimaginable ways)
but at the same time, plan long range
(for they go slow; if you survive
the shattered windshield and the bursting shell
you will arrive
at our approximation here below
of heaven or hell).
To be specific, between the peony and the rose
plant squash and spinach, turnips and tomatoes;
beauty is nectar
and nectar, in a desert, saves-
but the stomach craves stronger sustenance
than the honied vine.
Therefore, marry a pretty girl
after seeing her mother;
speak truth to one man,
work with another;
and always serve bread with your wine.
But, son,
always serve wine.