Welcome back!

It may come from my study of literature during the pursuit of my bachelor’s degree in English, but I love the idea of using objects as symbols. Certainly, this occurs outside of literature. Our society is teaming with symbolic gestures. Wedding rings symbolize the commitment or bond between married partners, while engagement rings symbolize a promise of commitment.

Even elements found in nature hold symbolic meaning. Keep this in mind when writing about the environment of your characters or the gifts they exchange. There are even cultural symbolic gestures in terms of how people greet one another. Note the kissing on each cheek isn’t exclusive to France. In some countries, it does matter what hand you shake with and some cultures require that you take your shoes off at the door upon entering a home.

If you are stepping outside of universal meanings for symbols definitely be sure to define it for your readers. Have fun with symbolic gestures to add more depth and originality to your writing.

Some Other Articles You May Enjoy