symbolism definition figurative language
Symbolism and Figurative Language. In literature, a symbol is a person, place, thing, or event that has a meaning larger than itself. A symbol has a literal meaning as well as an abstract meaning. A literal meaning is a symbolâs unimaginative, âboringâ meaning. An abstract meaning is a symbolâs âmeaning larger than itself.â This meaning is what the symbol stands for and represents. There are many symbols that we are probably familiar with.