In literature, an island can symbolize a number of things. It can be a place of safety, a place of refuge, or a place of isolation. It can also be a place of adventure, a place of mystery, or a place of peril.
Islands can also be seen as a metaphor for the human condition. They can represent our need for connection, our desire for independence, or our fear of isolation.
In the end, the symbolic meaning of an island depends on how it is used in a particular story or novel.