How does symbolism in fiction or non fiction affect the writing?
Well, a lot of times symbolism is used to better visualize an idea. Let’s say I’m writing a book about a guy who decides to go up against a totaltarian government. Well as an author I can have him do two things. I can have him do a long pretty speech and then have crowds cheer. OR I can use a symbol like him burning the book of laws from this government, and saying maybe a few words. With the first idea, unless I did a very good job with setting, plot and characterization, a simple speech would just come off as just another Braveheart “but they’ll never take our freedom” crop out. It won’t matter how pretty I wrote the speech. Now if I have him doing the latter, burning the book, his “speech” becomes an action, and to the readers it will speak louder than the words.
