59 Symbolism Essay Topics

🏆 Best Essay Topics on Symbolism

1. Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

   In The Great Gatsby there are several symbols but the most powerful appears to be the eyes that overlook the valley from a bill board.
2. Theory of Symbolism in a Reading of “A Rose For Emily” by William Faulkner and “The Symbol” by Virginia Woolf

   The brightest representatives of this style are considered to be Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and Dorothy Richardson, who were followed by many others.
3. Idealism versus Pragmatism through Symbolism in the Novel “A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway

   Hemingway narrates the love story, as a way of showing the delusions that people relates war, which negates the setting of the novel.
4. Symbolism in Walt Whitman’s Poem Crossing Brooklyn Ferry

   In the poem, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman, the poet describes his crisscrossing journey back and forth Brooklyn via a ferry.
5. Symbolism in “Disgrace” by John Coetzee

   The Novel, Disgrace, revolves around David Lurie, a University lecturer who faces one disgrace after another. Disgrace follows David wherever he goes throughout the novel.
6. Symbolism in John Maxwell Coetzee’s “Disgrace”

   The issue of social isolation and ostracism has been explored extensively in literature, yet it shines through especially vividly in Coetzee’s award-winning Disgrace.
7. Symbolism in Coetzee’s “Disgrace”

   This paper discusses Coetzee’s book Disgrace that uses symbolism to make the description of the protagonist’s worldview and his actions more vivid.
8. Victimization Image in the “Disgrace” by John Maxwell Coetzee

   The paper explored two sources of symbolism in the novel Disgrace: dogs and Lord Byron. The animals in the book represent instruments of oppression and a low socioeconomic status.
9. Power and Race Symbolism in Coetzee’s “Disgrace”

   In Disgrace, symbolism is used as a thematic element to demonstrate principles of power and race while providing commentary about the socio-political strife in South Africa
10. Symbolism in “A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway

    The main characters in the novel “A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway, who are Catherine and Frederic Henry, do not seem to have power over their lives in the course of the war.
11. Symbolism and Racism in Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”

    In the book “To Kill a Mockingbird,” symbolism has been used as the vessel by which racism is expressed indirectly, so readers explore the meaning behind such symbols.
12. Christian Symbolism and Imagery in “The Matrix” Film

    The Matrix film is a prediction of the negative effects of technology that can change us into mere creatures to be manipulated by the matrix system of the world.
13. Symbolism in Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” Short Story

    “Rip Van Winkle” is a symbolic story. Washington Irving used a fictional event to portray the difference between the same places of America before and during the Revolutionary War.
14. Symbolism in “Disgrace” by John Maxwell Coetzee

    In books, symbols make the story deeper and allow a reader to understand the author’s ideas better. This paper analyzes symbolism in Disgrace by John Maxwell Coetzee.
15. Symbolism in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

    Spring is the period of the year that is chosen by Chopin for The Story of an Hour, which symbolizes the beginning of a new life.
16. Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery: Imagery, Foreshadowing, & Symbolism

    Shirley Jackson’s employment of detailed imagery, foreshadowing, and symbolism has contributed significantly to the masterful nature of “The Lottery.”
17. Symbolism in “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller

    In Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman, the sub-surface ideals of the American Dream are investigated and a very close ruinous look is the outcome.
18. Symbolism of Clothes in Canterbury Tales

    How did Chaucer criticize the church The Canterbury Tales? What characters do reflect this criticism? Check this essay to find out.
19. The Symbolism of Blood in Barn Burning by William Faulkner

    Do you want to learn about the symbolism of blood in Barn Burning? Check the analysis of this symbol in the essay.
20. Color Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

    The novel Great Gatsby depicts the unique vision of the American dream and its impact on the life of a person during the 1920s.

👍 Good Symbolism Research Topics & Essay Examples

1. Symbolism in Wuthering Heights

   Wuthering Heights is a tragic novel written by Emily Bronte. Today, it is presented as classical literature and does not lose its relevance. Along with the popularity of the book, a tragic love story between Catherine and Heathcliff remains one of the most notable stories for readers around the world….
2. Symbolism in A Doll’s House

   A Doll’s House is one of the many plays written by a Norwegian playwright and theatre director Henrik Johan Ibsen. Now Ibsen is often referred to as one of the most influential writers of his time and even as “a father of realism”. In this work, the plot revolves around…
3. Symbolism in O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night

   In Eugene O’Neill’s play “Long Day’s Journey into Night”, the playwright presents the inner workings of a dysfunctional family long before the term dysfunctional became a buzzword of American psychology.
4. Robert Browning: Analysis of Author’s Style, Works’ Themes, and the Symbolism

   In his works, Robert Browning explores such issues as the position of women in the family and society; he stresses the importance of equity and unity.
5. Symbolism in Herman Melville’s “Bartleby the Scrivener”

   The story “Bartleby the Scrivener” is rather symbolic as the very street (Wall Street), Bartleby’s cabinet and his previous job are the symbols which show the life of New York in 1850s
6. Symbolism in “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck

   Symbols are the types of stylistic devices that writers use in order to extend people’s perception of the story. Symbolism is a very frequently used way of text representation.
7. Symbolism in Steinbeck’s Story “The Chrysanthemums”

   Steinbeck uses number of literary devises in his story The Chrysanthemums and the rich usage of symbolism is marked first.
8. Symbolism in The Things They Carried

   The Things They Carried is not all about the material things that soldiers have to carry in their bags to ensure nutrition, water supply, and safety in battlefield.
9. Symbolism in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare

   Macbeth is a symbol that any society should try to avoid. It signifies that if life is lead by ambition that would not be stopped by anything regardless of this hostility the world will be in danger.
10. Nathaniel Hawthorne: Symbolism in Short Stories

    The presence of the symbol of the Devil in different characters suggests the idea of the sinful nature of a human being and the power of evil in the world.
11. “The Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Symbolism

    The creative activity of Hawthorne is heavily influenced by his background and the religious education that left the trace of guilt, doubt, and self-examination on his works .
12. “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich: Symbolism

    As the title shows, “The Red Convertible” is the main fulcrum of the story and the entire plot is built around it. It is used as a symbol of happiness with its color ‘red’ denoting passion and life.
13. “Love in the Time of Cholera” vs “Theme of the Traitor and the Hero”: Context and Symbolism

    In both books, both writers present an awesome twist of love being depicted not only by these characters but also other supporting ones.
14. Symbolism in “The Road Not Taken” by Frost

    This paper finds and describes unique symbols running through Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” and tries to interpret their unique and sacred meaning.

🌶️ Hot Symbolism Ideas to Write about

1. The Symbolism and Meaning of Jerusalem Compared to England’s History
2. Symbolism and Biblical Allusions in “The Kite Runner”
3. Understanding the Objectives and Symbolism of Baptism
4. Symbolism and Autobiographical Elements in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”
5. The Importance of Symbolism, Figurative Language, and Irony in Works
6. Symbolism and Destructive Attitudes in “Genus Narcissus”
7. Nature Settings: Symbolism and Shaping Perception
8. Symbolism: Byzantine Empire and Winston Churchill
9. Symbolism Behind Fear and Foresight
10. American Symbolism and Mythology
11. Nathaniel Hawthorne: Symbolism in Short Stories
12. Symbolism Behind the Names of the Female Characters in “The Great Gatsby” American Literature
13. The Relationship Between Character Symbolism and Chilean Society in Ariel Dorfman’s “Death and the Maiden”
14. Symbolism and Double Meaning in Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown”
15. Redemption From Sin: Symbolism Creating Theme Within “The Scarlet Letter”
16. The Significance and Symbolism of Mondays in Marquez’ Novel
17. Symbolism and Literary Techniques in George Orwell’s
18. Powerful Symbols and Symbolism in “The Glass Menagerie”
19. Culturally Bound Practices: Jewish Symbolism
20. Pagan and Christian Symbolism in “Sir Gawain and the Green Night”
21. Comprehending Indian Images and Symbolism
22. Symbolism, Imagery, and Theme Compared Through the Stories “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Scarlet Ibis”
23. Principles of How the Author Uses Symbology That Contributes to the Success of the Text
24. Symbolism, Themes, and Metaphors in “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville
25. “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”: Christian Symbolism