How to Become a Fantasy Writer: Symbolism
The best fantasy writers know that a good story is more than just the plot and characters. It's also about the symbols, metaphors, and themes you use to tell that story. Here we'll explore how fantasy writers can use symbolism to craft powerful narratives that resonate with readers long after they've finished reading.
A symbol is a metaphor to which we've assigned a meaning.
Symbolism is a way of representing something else. It's a way of expressing ideas and feelings in a more concrete way.
In fantasy, symbolism can be used to communicate with readers who understand what it means. For example, if you're writing about death and you use the image of an owl to symbolize death, your readers may immediately know what this means because they've already been conditioned by our culture to associate owls with death.
In this case, it's not necessarily about the writer being clever or unique; it's about using recognizable imagery so that readers can easily identify what the symbols mean.
To take another example: if your character is named Spring Bloomerhorton and she has long blonde hair and green eyes (and let's say she also loves flowers), then every time you mention how beautiful her name sounds or how bright her green eyes are...you're giving us clues about her personality! We might think she's warm and friendly based on these details alone—and even though we haven't met Spring yet (or seen any pictures), we already have some preconceived notions about what kind of person she must be based on these symbolic references alone!
The Forest
The forest is a place of mystery and danger.
The forest is often portrayed as a dark place with dangerous creatures and strange happenings. It's tied to storytelling traditions that have been around for thousands of years. In many mythologies, forests are also associated with spirits or other supernatural beings.
It's where you might find an enchanted castle or a wicked witch, but it can just as easily be the home of a dragon that guards its treasure hoard. The forest is also where things go to die; if your character dies in the woods, they'll likely come back as something else—a mummy, perhaps! Because forests are mysterious places full of life and death, they're often used symbolically by writers.
Animals
Animals are useful symbols for many reasons. They can represent the good and bad in people, as well as the good and bad of the world. When used this way, animals might be used to symbolize an entire species rather than just one individual animal—for example, a boar can represent all boars (good or bad), or a unicorn might be used to symbolize all unicorns (good or bad).
In addition to representing things, animals can themselves be symbols of ideas or concepts. For example: A cat may represent laziness; a wolf may represent strength; a snake might symbolize deceit; etcetera!
Animals may be used symbolically in your story because they represent something else, like an animal spirit guide or helper who leads someone through an adventure.
For example, a character might encounter a talking rabbit early on in their journey and use the animal as guidance along their path; later on, when he needs help escaping from enemies or figuring out a puzzle, he'll turn back to his rabbit friend for advice or help finding what he needs (his sword). By having them meet again after some time apart helps show that this relationship between man and animal lasted long enough for both parties to bond together despite whatever obstacles may come between them at any given moment during their travels together."
Colors and light
Colors are symbolic of emotions, so think about how you want your character to feel and then choose the color that represents it. Red is a symbol of passion, love and anger, blue is peaceful, tranquility and calmness; green is growth and renewal (think: spring). Yellow could be happiness, joy or optimism. The list goes on!
Literary devices for using symbolism in fantasy
Symbolism is a very powerful tool for fantasy writers to use. It can be used to create a sense of mystery, wonder, and danger.
In the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien (Again? Yes, I really like it, 'kay...?), one example of symbolism used as a tool is when he describes how Sauron was defeated by Isildur cutting off his finger with the Ring on it. This symbolizes that if you go to the extent of pouring your soul into something you will fall and be defeated, when that thing is taken from you, like Sauron was.
The Professor also uses symbols like the Orc's "War Factories" to talk about Industrialization taking over the Countryside's Simple Life or The End of Magic, through the Shire and Rivendell, respectively.
Symbolism can also be used to create fear in your readers because there are so many different ways that you can interpret an object or place through symbolism so there will always be something new for everyone reading about these things!
Symbolism vs. allegory
Symbolism is a metaphor to which we've assigned a meaning. An allegory, on the other hand, is a story with a moral or message. The difference between symbolism vs allegory is that symbolism is more subtle than allegory; it isn't always obvious what it means until later in the story or even after you've read the entire book.
Symbolism can be used in any genre—not just fantasy!
It's not uncommon for fantasy writers to use symbolism in their work, as it can be a compelling and sophisticated way of creating an emotional response from the reader. Symbolism is often used for one or more of three purposes:
To create a sense of wonder
To create a sense of mystery
To create a sense of danger
The power of symbolism can be both subtle and significant. It’s important to use it wisely, because if you overuse symbols or don’t make them clear enough, your readers might not notice them at all. But if you know how to use symbols effectively and subtly, they can help build an immersive world for your audience while also telling a deeper story or conveying a theme that is relevant to each individual reader.
Check out how to write Theme, if you have not already.
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