The dictionary definition of a symbol is; “a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.” (dictionary.com). Nearly every single text contains some form of a symbol, whether it is obvious or not. These symbols are often thought to have specific meanings that can be related to other real life events that happen every day. Symbols do not solely represent one thing, as they could have endless meanings, however as humans we tend to want symbols to have a definite meaning. When a human being picks up a work of literature and begins to read the words on the page they bring to the table their own life experiences and prior knowledge with them. This helps people to make connections through the text and create a whole other meaning beyond what is written on the page. As stated in the text, what the symbol means is entirely up to the reader. Other times some works of English might have very literal writings that are meant to be taken as what they are, and in their exact form. These types of texts are usually over-analyzed and can be turned into texts full of symbols even when the author meant for the work to be strictly literal. In Thomas Fosters’ “Is that a symbol?” he discusses the different meanings behind symbols, and how readers expect the meanings to be defined, not created.

One problem that readers face is thinking that a symbol is designed to mean one specific thing. This is horribly wrong. In fact, whatever the reader thinks a symbol means, that is probably what it does. Well at least for them. When a book or story is read, it is designed to bring meaning and thoughts to the mind of the reader. The author wants people to become creative and dig deep into what they have written. This concept is where the idea of reading between the lines is derived from. There is typically another meaning behind what is obvious in a text, sometimes more than one, that can be interpreted and used to analyze the story. It may be true that an author writes a story with a specific moral in mind, however, if another meaning can be drawn from reading the text then that just makes the story better overall.

In almost every text that was ever written, symbols are used to connect common feelings, or to relay a common theme or an issue that has happened in the world. The author carefully chooses these symbols, and they typically have specific connections in mind that they want the reader to realize and understand. However, the author knows that the way they think is most likely different than their readers, therefore, the symbol could end up having multiple meanings. Many times, it is hard to pick up what the author is trying to reveal and the authors meaning of the symbol is lost somewhere in the text. This does not mean that a text is completely meaning less, however the message that was intended to be harvested from the text may not come to light. Readers create their own story while comprehending texts, which in turn forces them to create their own meanings for symbols. And because no two people have experienced the exact same happenings of life, different meanings are interpreted from the same story. In the writing by Thomas Foster he explains that symbols have no definite meaning, although readers would like it this way, it is nearly impossible for one story to mean only one thing. Thomas Foster stresses the point that stories require creativity to find your own meanings to symbols, and create your own moral of the story.

In the text “Is this a symbol?” Thomas Foster makes a point to mention that some symbols actually do have only one meaning. These certain symbols are called allegories and are very rare but still do occur in modern English. This counter argument forces readers to question symbols and decide if their interpretation is correct. Allegories are very specific and are easily matched with their hidden message. “If they can, it’s not symbolism, it’s an allegory.” (18) This is a direct quote from Thomas Fosters “Is that a symbol?” This quote can be used to back up the claim that a symbol with only one defined meaning is not truly a symbol but an allegory. Allegories can be used when authors know exactly what they want to relay to readers, or if they have a specific moral they want to express. In the text, Thomas Foster talks about a white flag being a universal symbol for surrender, but it could also mean “We come in peace.” The lesson learned here is that even the simplest allegories can be interpreted to have two different meanings. By realizing that even the simplest symbols can be split into multiple meanings, it is proven that a symbol cannot have one specific meaning.

By taking the time to analyze a text on a deeper level readers can come up with their own conclusions of what a symbol might mean. No story would be interesting if every symbol was pointed out and defined with an unalterable meaning. That defeats the purpose of creativity that is automatically assigned to texts. Thomas Foster humorously points out that in ‘The passage to India’ the cave is a symbol, he then proceeds to explain that he does not know what it means. This is exactly how every reader should feel until they assign a meaning to the symbol that makes sense for their mind. If someone were to tell you the meaning to a symbol, and it made no sense, the symbol is basically nonsensical. That is why readers must create their own meanings, without influence. 

In conclusion, as readers analyze books, stories, articles, and even poems, symbols will always be present just waiting to be discovered. Everything that is read is a symbol, discovering the meaning is what makes it special. We may never know what the author truly means when a symbol is created, but at least the text will continue to serve a larger purpose by providing the reader with the tools to interpret meanings for themselves. Texts that have no deeper meaning can still be broken down enough to the point where a symbol is easily viewable. This is a very difficult task for some and requires a great knowledge of English language and a whole lot of creativity. Allegories are commonly used when an author wants to relay a specific meaning, but many times this will not hold true as multiple meanings can still be derived. In the end we now know that all stories have one form of a symbol and can be interpreted to mean anything that the reader can relate. Creativity is necessary as symbols will not be defined for you. The author does not define the symbol. That is the readers job.