Symbol is an object, a person, a situation, or an action that has a literal meaning in a story but suggests or represents other meanings. (https://www.delmar.edu/offices/swc/_resources/Literature/symbolism.pdf)

In literature, symbols often appear as characters, images, or other motifs that represent larger ideas. Authors use these symbols to add depth to their work or convey messages within the narrative, leaving it up to readers to uncover their meaning within the text.

Examples:
In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the green light at the end of Daisy's dock symbolizes Gatsby's unattainable dreams and the elusive American Dream​. (https://literaryterms.net/symbol/)

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the mockingbird symbolizes innocence, with its killing representing the destruction of innocence​. (https://tutors.com/lesson/symbolism)

Sources: 

https://www.delmar.edu/offices/swc/_resources/Literature/symbolism.pdf

https://custom-writing.org/blog/symbols-in-literature

https://literaryterms.net/symbol/

https://tutors.com/lesson/symbolism

                    Author of the page:   Bc. Kateřina Horáková