Symbols A symbol is a regularly used and yet perplexing literary element that stands for something. Symbols, on the other hand, are typically used to represent more abstract concepts or organizations and are presented in different ways than metaphors. The flag of the United States is a good example. It is used to represent America, but it also is a source of pride for Americans of many nations because they can connect their country with its history even though they may not know all the details. Metaphors and symbols are two different things. While metaphors use words to describe something that is not necessarily visual, symbols are represented by objects or actions. The American flag is a metaphor because it uses words to describe an idea rather than showing something physical. Mathematics has many symbolic representations including equations, formulas, and diagrams. The number 10 is used as a symbol for emptiness because you can't physically see it but you know it's there based on other numbers. In literature, symbols play an important role. They can be used to indicate characters, places, or events that the reader should understand cannot be explained in detail within the context of the story. For example, in Shakespeare's Hamlet, it is suggested that Prince Hamlet is dead by means of a skull placed on a stick outside his castle. This is a symbol because we know what happened to the real prince but cannot explain how he could be killed by a stick through his skull.