We were clearly on a roll. Who Eats Hearts. Students often struggle with syrnbolism.
Teachers always seem to have better answers.
One way to help students understand how symbols work is to ask them to think about private symbols. A particular bus stop may be a symbol for fear because it was the spot where a strange man once accosted them. They might have saved a movie stub from the night of their first kiss. The memento is a symbol for the experience. Car keys symbolize growing independence.