 
“Is that a Symbol? Sure why not. It’s the next question that gets hairy: what does it mean, what does it stand for (Foster 18)? In Thomas C. Foster’s “Is That a Symbol” this quote explores the idea that there a larger aspect when it comes to a symbol’s meaning. But what makes a symbol different? There are serval factors that play a role in how one can uniquely interpret a symbol.  

 “Here’s the problem with symbols: people expect them to mean something. Not just any something, but one something in particular” (Foster 18). This quote highlights Foster’s belief that there’s a common misconception about symbolism. Many people believe that a symbol must have the same meaning for everyone, which is not true. Some symbols may be limited in range, but generally, a symbol can’t be reduced to one singular thing. Foster explains that if a symbol has one single meaning, it’s not symbolism at all, in fact, it’s allegory. He later points this out when he brings up the example of a white flag. To many, this may be the most straightforward symbol because to most it symbolizes surrendering, but Foster brings up the point that others may believe the white flag symbolizes coming in peace. In this scenario the most common symbol, which many believe has one single meaning, doesn’t. Thus proving that a symbol cannot be reduced to a singular meaning, rather it has a range of possibilities. Foster believes that the different views are based on an individual’s experiences, and preexisting knowledge. 

“What the cave symbolizes will be determined by how the individual reader engages the text” (Foster 21). This quote refers to how a reader will interpret the text differently based on the way they engage it. But this is not limited to literature, in fact, Foster believes that there are serval factors that influence the way we interpret symbols. These include education, gender, race, class, and faith. The differences in these traits are what creates the conflicting interpretations of the meaning of symbols. If everyone had the same personal background, every symbol would be reducible to a singular meaning. But that is not the case, which creates a range of meanings for each symbol.

 “Seriously, what do you think it stands for because that’s probably what it does. At least to you” (Foster 18). The last portion of this quote is the most important because it shows Foster’s belief that the interpretation is entirely up to the individual. The first portion highlights the fact that the idea of a symbol can’t be wrong, at least to you. Everyone has a unique background, and different traits so that everyone can interpret a symbol their way. 

“The only thing we are sure of about the cave as a symbol is that it keeps its secrets…What the cave symbolizes will be determined to a large extent by how the individual reader engages the text” (Foster 21). This quote emphasizes the usage of symbols in literature, and how each reader may interpret texts differently. Foster hypothesizes that a reader will interpret writing differently based on the individual’s emphasis on the various factors listed above. These factors allow for certain features in the text to become more or less pronounced. As readers, we bring our individual history into account when we’re reading, which influences the way the text can be interpreted. 

An example of this comes from two different texts, one being Hart Crane’s poem “The Bridge,” and the other being T.S. Elliot’s “The Waste Land.”  Each author highlights the meaning of rivers; Crane begins with the East River, which then grows into the Hudson and onto the Mississippi and Eliot with the River Thames. To each author the river has a distinct meaning. To Eliot, the River Thames is symbolic of the collapse of western civilization, which doesn’t factor into Crane’s piece. In “The Waste Land,” Eliot-like most British poets-immortalize the Thames. Despite how he depicts this, in the modern world it is just a dirty river. Eliot’s background causes him to symbolize the Thames differently than a reader would in the U.S. Similarly, a reader outside of the U.S. will symbolize the East, Hudson, and Mississippi Rivers completely different than Crane and other Americans. Foster believes that the connection in how one interprets a symbol, and their personal background goes hand in hand. Otherwise, everyone would connect the Thames to Eliot’s beliefs, or the Mississippi and Hudson according to Crane’s. Rather Foster believes that it is important for a reader to have the freedom to interpret the text differently. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be contrasting viewpoints that spark discussion. 

In “Is That a Symbol?”  Thomas Foster emphasizes the importance of individuality. In this piece, he uses the example of a symbol. Not every symbol is going to interpret the same way, in fact, most won’t be, the meaning is largely up to the individual.  Foster believes that our personal background: education, race, religion, and gender, all shape the way we go about interpreting. Since everyone’s background isn’t the same, the meanings of each symbol shouldn’t be the same. But to Foster this is larger than a symbol, it is the ability to think freely, and challenging opposing viewpoint. If everyone shared the same background and thought the same way, then there would be no progressive innovation. The absence of individuality would lead us to be content with what we already have, so there would be no one like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, to challenge others and to strive to create bigger and better things.
 