Definition:

Characteristics:

Displacement - knowing that a certain symbol means a certain thing.
Openness - being able to associate symbols with things at will, creating an association between two things to create a symbol.

"Symbols." Foothill College. Web. 15 June 2010.

Resources about Symbol

1. Harris, Robert. "Evaluating Internet Research Sources." VirtualSalt. 17 Nov. 1997. Web. 5 June 2007.
The website is dedicated to various educational information from a retired professor that is now dedicating his time to writing. This site is very informative especially when it comes to literary terms. Virtual Salt does a good job at explaining the literary term Symbol and it was very informative and precise. It does a good job at describing how it would be used in a text and I helpful with the text that I read. This site is credible due to the fact that a retired professor with creditential dedicated this website to be helpful and assist an array of people that need help with writing and literary terms.

2. Tarlton, Misty. “Symbolism.” All American Glossary of Literary Terms. Web. 15 June 2007.
This is another glossary of literary terms, provided by the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Pembroke, author of the term “symbolism” describes it as “a word or object that stands for another word or object. The object or word can be seen with the eye or not visible. For example a dove stands for Peace. The dove can be seen and peace cannot.” While not terribly comprehensive, the definition does give a bare-bones definition of what a symbol in literature can mean, and why authors use them. I found that, since the website came from a University’s home page, it was reliable.


3. "Definition of Symbols." Concepts for Reading and Writing. Web. 8 June 2007.
The site provides a definition of symbol as "a sign which has further layers of meaning," which simply translates to something that has different meanings. For example, that 'something' could be a cup, which could represent or 'symbolize' a more profound meaning, a vessel of life, as a cup holds water, the essential element of life. The page offers a very descriptive definition of symbol. The definition of symbol provided does give me a better understanding of what to look for or how to interpret elements in my selected text, which would be "The Lamplighter" by Maria S. Cummins. Already in the title of the text you can get an idea of one of the symbol I'll be looking out for. The page is a link, part of an internet class for a university.

4. Tarlton, Misty."Symbol." All American: Glossary of Literary Terms. Web. 12 June 2009.
This website is a glossary of literary terminology. It defines the term as “a word or object that stands for another word or object.” Often symbolism is the unseen meaning behind an object. A symbol may be a physical object, like a bird, or intangible, like a feeling or a mental image. So, whether the origin of the symbol is physical and not, the meaning behind it is figurative but real. Transcendentalists use symbolism, so this term plays a key role in the spiritual movement of the era. For instance, Ralph Waldo Emerson uses symbolism in his many names for the God-force. However, each name is not the same. It is a different symbolic identity or manifestation of God. The Over-Soul is the most famous; it symbolizes God, but also the universal soul within us as individuals as well as the collective. In the poem, “Because I could not stop for Death,” Emily Dickinson uses the symbol of riding to represent life passing immanently by those too ignorant or in denial of death. The symbolic message behind the courtship ride with death is to appreciate the living moments in order to prepare for our fated, eternal commitment. Also, we all have our moment when we realize our own mortality, or that life has passed us. Although swept up in life, life will always leave us to Death in favor of new youth. This site is credible because it is hosted by the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and run by an English professor.

5. “Glossary Notes.” Notes in the Margin. 2002. Web. 15 June 2007.
This website is meant to provide basic definitions for frequently used literary terms. Here, symbol is defined as “something that is itself and also stands for something else” (Glossary Notes). In a literary sense, a symbol combines a literal quality with an abstract or suggestive aspect. Some symbols embody universal meanings, like water suggesting time and eternity. Other symbols come to have independent meanings, developed by characters in literature. At the end of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, George Shelby frees his slaves and tells them that when they look at Uncle Tom’s cabin they should remember their freedom and dedicate themselves to leading a Christian life like Uncle Tom’s. The sight of Uncle Tom’s cabin on his property serves as a constant reminder of the suffering endured by his slaves. The cabin symbolizes both the destructive power of slavery and the ability of Christian values and love to overcome it. The symbol of Uncle Tom’s cabin becomes very personal and meaningful to the characters in the novel as well as readers. This website provides citations for all of its research.

6. "Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature." Literature Resource Center. 1995. Web. 9 June 2007.
The main purpose of the Gale Database of Mesa Community College is to verify the definition of terms needed to conduct a research. The website defines the term symbol as “something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance; especially, a visible sign of something invisible (for example, the lion is a symbol of courage and the cross is a symbol of Christianity)” (Gale database). The website analyzes the term symbol by giving the example of the lion and the cross. The symbol of the text Common Sense I will be reading for this packet is based on weening America from its mother, Great Britain. Paine uses this metaphor to explain the term of symbol in his writing. This website is credible because it is a trusted site established for educational institutions.

7. “Symbol.” Wikipedia. Web. 23 June 2007.
This website gives a definition for symbols and instances when symbols are used. Symbols are words or characters that represent ideas. This website helps readers understand an author who uses symbolism in their writing. This website is credible because this definition matches with others given for symbolism.

8. “Symbol .” Columbia Granger's World of Poetry Online. 2008. Columbia University Press. Web. 6 June 2008.
This is a definition of the symbol as it pertains to poetry, and other fields of literature. This is a a great source because it specifically relates the definition to literature, and it is credible as it is found on an academic database.

Definition Links:

Wikipedia
The Free Dictionary
Reference.com
Merriam-Webster
Dictionary.net



"All-Seeing Eye." The Illuminatus Observer. Web. 11 June 2010.




"Symbolism." YouTube-Broadcast Yourself. Web. 11 June 2010.

Representative Authors & Texts

Henry David Thoreau