107 Symbolism Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Symbolism is a literary device that authors use to convey deeper meanings in their work. By using objects, characters, and events to represent abstract ideas or themes, writers can add layers of complexity and depth to their stories. In this article, we will explore 107 symbolism essay topic ideas and provide examples to help you better understand how symbolism can be used in literature.

1. The use of the color white to symbolize purity and innocence in "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
2. The symbol of the mockingbird in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and its representation of innocence and vulnerability.
3. The use of the green light in "The Great Gatsby" as a symbol of hope and the American Dream.
4. The scarlet letter in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel as a symbol of shame and sin.
5. The use of the raven in Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" as a symbol of death and mourning.
6. The symbol of the river in Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" as a representation of freedom and escape.
7. The symbol of the conch shell in William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" as a representation of civilization and order.
8. The use of the rose in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" as a symbol of love and decay.
9. The symbol of the red hunting cap in J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" as a representation of individuality and rebellion.
10. The use of the mirror in Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" as a symbol of self-reflection and identity.
11. The symbol of the fire in Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" as a representation of destruction and renewal.
12. The use of the clock in Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway" as a symbol of the passage of time and mortality.
13. The symbol of the white whale in Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" as a representation of obsession and revenge.
14. The use of the handkerchief in William Shakespeare's "Othello" as a symbol of fidelity and betrayal.
15. The symbol of the yellow wallpaper in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story as a representation of female oppression and madness.
16. The use of the tree in Toni Morrison's "Beloved" as a symbol of growth and resilience.
17. The symbol of the glass unicorn in Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie" as a representation of fragility and isolation.
18. The use of the train in Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy as a symbol of progress and change.
19. The symbol of the heart in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" as a representation of guilt and madness.
20. The use of the labyrinth in Jorge Luis Borges' "The Garden of Forking Paths" as a symbol of confusion and choice.
21. The symbol of the phoenix in J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series as a representation of rebirth and renewal.
22. The use of the mirror in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass" as a symbol of reflection and self-discovery.
23. The symbol of the ring in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" as a representation of power and corruption.
24. The use of the apple in John Milton's "Paradise Lost" as a symbol of temptation and sin.
25. The symbol of the rosebush in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" as a representation of forgiveness and redemption.
26. The use of the owl in William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" as a symbol of darkness and death.
27. The symbol of the mask in Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" as a representation of deceit and vanity.
28. The use of the mirror in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" as a symbol of self-reflection and identity.
29. The symbol of the cross in Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" as a representation of sacrifice and redemption.
30. The use of the tree in Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" as a symbol of growth and resilience.
31. The symbol of the bird in Emily Dickinson's poetry as a representation of freedom and transcendence.
32. The use of the moon in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as a symbol of magic and illusion.
33. The symbol of the river in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" as a representation of time and memory.
34. The use of the mirror in Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita" as a symbol of reflection and self-discovery.
35. The symbol of the rose in John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" as a representation of beauty and resilience.
36. The use of the serpent in John Milton's "Paradise Lost" as a symbol of temptation and evil.
37. The symbol of the clock in Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" as a representation of control and conformity.
38. The use of the tree in William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying" as a symbol of growth and decay.
39. The symbol of the river in Toni Morrison's "Song of Solomon" as a representation of history and identity.
40. The use of the mirror in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" as a symbol of reflection and madness.
41. The symbol of the rose in William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" as a representation of love and passion.
42. The use of the tree in Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" as a symbol of nature and wildness.
43. The symbol of the heart in Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" as a representation of love and redemption.
44. The use of the bird in Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" as a symbol of freedom and mystery.
45. The symbol of the mirror in Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" as a representation of guilt and self-reflection.
46. The use of the tree in George Orwell's "1984" as a symbol of rebellion and hope.
47. The symbol of the river in Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" as a representation of healing and transformation.
48. The use of the mirror in George Eliot's "Middlemarch" as a symbol of reflection and self-discovery.
49. The symbol of the rose in Charlotte Bronte's "Villette" as a representation of passion and desire.
50. The use of the tree in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "Love in the Time of Cholera" as a symbol of growth and endurance.
51. The symbol of the heart in Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" as a representation of love and despair.
52. The use of the bird in Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse" as a symbol of freedom and transcendence.
53. The symbol of the mirror in James Joyce's "Ulysses" as a representation of reflection and self-discovery.
54. The use of the tree in Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" as a symbol of transformation and isolation.
55. The symbol of the rose in Sylvia Plath's poetry as a representation of beauty and decay.
56. The use of the heart in William Wordsworth's poetry as a symbol of nature and emotion.
57. The symbol of the bird in Gustave Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" as a representation of freedom and longing.
58. The use of the mirror in Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace" as a symbol of reflection and self-discovery.
59. The symbol of the tree in Emily Dickinson's poems as a representation of growth and resilience.
60. The use of the rose in John Keats' poetry as a symbol of beauty and transience.
61. The symbol of the heart in Walt Whitman's poetry as a representation of love and unity.
62. The use of the bird in Robert Frost's poetry as a symbol of freedom and exploration.
63. The symbol of the mirror in Langston Hughes' poetry as a representation of reflection and self-discovery.
64. The use of the tree in Maya Angelou's poetry as a symbol of growth and endurance.
65. The symbol of the rose in Pablo Neruda's poetry as a representation of love and passion.
66. The use of the heart in Rumi's poetry as a symbol of spirituality and connection.
67. The symbol of the bird in Sylvia Plath's poetry as a representation of freedom and expression.
68. The use of the mirror in Emily Dickinson's poems as a symbol of reflection and self-discovery.
69. The symbol of the tree in W.B. Yeats' poetry as a representation of nature and mysticism.
70. The use of the rose in William Blake's poetry as a symbol of beauty and innocence.
71. The symbol of the heart in T.S. Eliot's poetry as a representation of love and longing.
72. The use of the bird in Emily Bronte's poetry as a symbol of freedom and escape.
73. The symbol of the mirror in Robert Browning's poetry as a representation of reflection and self-awareness.
74. The use of the tree in Christina Rossetti's poetry as a symbol of growth and renewal.
75. The symbol of the rose in John Donne's poetry as a representation of love and devotion.
76. The use of the heart in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poetry as a