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Layers of Meaning
What Symbols Stand For
For example:
Peter Pan is a
symbol for eternal
childhood
Why Create Symbols?
You may ask why writers don’t just come right out and
say what they mean.
• Symbols allow writers to suggest layers and layers of
meaning-possibilities that a simple, literal statement
could never convey.
• A symbol is like a pebble cast into a pond: It sends out
ever widening ripples of meaning
Symbols have multiple
interpretations.
• Depending on the context, cultural meanings,
and personal experience, symbols may carry
different meanings.
• You may not be able to articulate fully what a
certain symbol means, but you will always find
that the symbol will speak to your emotions and
to your imagination.
• You may also find that you will remember and
think about the symbol long after you have
forgotten other parts.
The Jacket
by Gary Soto
This is a green
jacket. Remember
this image and try
to figure out what it
symbolizes in the
story we read
yesterday from
“The Jacket” by
Gary Soto.
What is Symbolism?
• Symbolism is an ordinary object, event,
person, or animal to which we have
attached extraordinary meaning and
significance.
Think about the green jacket.
What does it signify in the story about the
narrator?