Symbolism is a powerful tool for storytellers, as it can add depth, meaning, and emotion to your characters, themes, and plot. But how do you create symbolism in your story without being too obvious or confusing? Here are some techniques to reveal symbols gradually and subtly in your story.
The first step to create symbolism in your story is to choose symbols that are relevant to your genre, setting, tone, and message. For example, if you are writing a horror story, you might use symbols that evoke fear, danger, or death, such as blood, knives, or skulls. If you are writing a romance story, you might use symbols that evoke love, passion, or intimacy, such as roses, hearts, or rings. Think about what symbols your readers will recognize and associate with your story.
Symbols are trickier in nonfiction in that they're not consciously chosen but appear organically, if at all. Some symbols might make it into your notes, or even emerge in a first draft. Years ago, as I wrote a profile of a weaver, birds unexpectedly became a symbol -- I had watched a flock of geese overhead as I headed to her studio one afternoon, and those shapes later seemed recurrent in her work. That idea/symbol of flight was unplanned but (I hope) added to the final piece.
The next step to create symbolism in your story is to connect symbols to your characters, especially your protagonist and antagonist. Symbols can reveal aspects of your characters' personalities, motivations, goals, and conflicts. For example, if your protagonist is a rebel, you might use a symbol of freedom, such as a bird, a flag, or a key. If your antagonist is a tyrant, you might use a symbol of oppression, such as a chain, a crown, or a whip. Think about what symbols your characters will embody or encounter in your story.
The third step to create symbolism in your story is to place symbols strategically in your scenes, dialogue, and narration. Symbols can create foreshadowing, irony, contrast, or emphasis in your story. For example, if you want to foreshadow a tragic event, you might place a symbol of doom, such as a black cat, a storm, or a broken mirror, in the scene before it happens. If you want to create irony, you might place a symbol of hope, such as a rainbow, a star, or a flower, in the scene after it happens. Think about what symbols your scenes will convey or contrast in your story.
The fourth step to create symbolism in your story is to repeat symbols with variation throughout your story. Symbols can create patterns, parallels, or changes in your story. For example, if you want to create a pattern, you might repeat a symbol of fate, such as a coin, a clock, or a wheel, in different scenes that show the consequences of your characters' choices. If you want to create a parallel, you might repeat a symbol of identity, such as a name, a mask, or a mirror, in different scenes that show the similarities or differences between your characters. If you want to create a change, you might repeat a symbol of transformation, such as a butterfly, a fire, or a phoenix, in different scenes that show the growth or decline of your characters. Think about what symbols your story will repeat or vary in your story.
In a short (unforunately, unpublished) story I wrote about an old-school police reporter who did his work in the reporters’ shack behind police headquarters in a 3-story tenement on a one-block Manhattan street, I used light as a motif through various scenes. Light settling on the dusty old room in the “police shack” where he worked, the light in a police precinct where one of his young acolytes sat waiting in its dingy front room (as well as the change of light on the subway el on his way to it, and in the final scene, the fading daylight as the main character left the shack walked down the street from it and disappeared ino the city.
The fifth step to create symbolism in your story is to balance symbols with clarity in your writing. Symbols can enhance your story, but they can also confuse or distract your readers if they are too vague, too many, or too inconsistent. For example, if you use a symbol that is too vague, such as a color, a shape, or a sound, your readers might not understand what it means or how it relates to your story. If you use too many symbols, your readers might lose track of them or feel overwhelmed by them. If you use symbols that are too inconsistent, such as changing their meaning or appearance without explanation, your readers might feel cheated or annoyed by them. Think about what symbols your writing will clarify or balance in your story.
The sixth and final step to create symbolism in your story is to engage readers with symbols in your storytelling. Symbols can spark curiosity, emotion, and interpretation in your readers. For example, if you want to spark curiosity, you might use a symbol that is mysterious, intriguing, or surprising, such as a puzzle, a secret, or a twist. If you want to spark emotion, you might use a symbol that is powerful, relatable, or memorable, such as a weapon, a gift, or a souvenir. If you want to spark interpretation, you might use a symbol that is ambiguous, symbolic, or suggestive, such as a dream, a metaphor, or a clue. Think about what symbols your storytelling will engage or inspire in your readers.