Symbolism in Literature

Active learning works well for symbolism because students need repeated practice to move from spotting objects to interpreting layered meanings. Concrete activities make abstract ideas like ‘love’ or ‘turmoil’ tangible through objects and actions they can discuss and debate.

• Class 6
• English
• 4 activities
• 15 min–30 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify concrete objects or actions in a literary text that represent abstract ideas.
2. Explain the difference between the literal meaning and the symbolic meaning of an object in a story or poem.
3. Analyze how recurring symbols contribute to the overall theme of a literary work.
4. Compare the symbolic meanings of similar objects across different Indian folktales.

Hexagonal Thinking

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Symbol Hunt in Poems

Students read a short poem and list objects, then discuss their possible symbolic meanings in pairs. They share findings with the class. This reinforces identification skills.

Prepare & details

How does an author use a concrete object to represent an abstract idea?

Facilitation Tip: For Symbol Hunt in Poems, give each pair a highlighter and a poem with clear symbols so they mark and discuss in real time.

Setup: Works in standard classroom rows — students push desks together into groups of four to six. Each group needs enough flat surface to spread fifteen to twenty hexagonal tiles. Can also be conducted on the floor in a circle if desks cannot be rearranged.

Materials: Pre-cut hexagonal tiles — one labelled set of 15 to 20 per group, Blank tiles for student-generated concepts, Markers or printed concept labels in the medium of instruction, A3 sheets or chart paper for mounting the final arrangement, Printable link-label strips for annotating connection sentences

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Hexagonal Thinking

⏱ 25 min·Individual

Create Your Symbol

Each student picks an emotion and draws an object to represent it, then writes a sentence explaining the symbolism. Display and guess in class.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between a literal object and its symbolic meaning in a text.

Facilitation Tip: During Create Your Symbol, remind students that their symbols should be familiar objects but carry a meaning unique to their story context.

Setup: Works in standard classroom rows — students push desks together into groups of four to six. Each group needs enough flat surface to spread fifteen to twenty hexagonal tiles. Can also be conducted on the floor in a circle if desks cannot be rearranged.

Materials: Pre-cut hexagonal tiles — one labelled set of 15 to 20 per group, Blank tiles for student-generated concepts, Markers or printed concept labels in the medium of instruction, A3 sheets or chart paper for mounting the final arrangement, Printable link-label strips for annotating connection sentences

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Hexagonal Thinking

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Story Symbol Analysis

In small groups, analyse a story excerpt for symbols and their impact on the plot. Present key findings.

Prepare & details

Analyze the significance of recurring symbols in a given literary work.

Facilitation Tip: In Symbol Charades, insist on two clues—one literal and one symbolic—so peers see the contrast clearly.

Setup: Works in standard classroom rows — students push desks together into groups of four to six. Each group needs enough flat surface to spread fifteen to twenty hexagonal tiles. Can also be conducted on the floor in a circle if desks cannot be rearranged.

Materials: Pre-cut hexagonal tiles — one labelled set of 15 to 20 per group, Blank tiles for student-generated concepts, Markers or printed concept labels in the medium of instruction, A3 sheets or chart paper for mounting the final arrangement, Printable link-label strips for annotating connection sentences

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Hexagonal Thinking

⏱ 15 min·Whole Class

Symbol Charades

Whole class plays where one acts out a symbol from literature, others guess the meaning.

Prepare & details

How does an author use a concrete object to represent an abstract idea?

Facilitation Tip: For Story Symbol Analysis, model annotating one paragraph together before letting groups work independently.

Setup: Works in standard classroom rows — students push desks together into groups of four to six. Each group needs enough flat surface to spread fifteen to twenty hexagonal tiles. Can also be conducted on the floor in a circle if desks cannot be rearranged.

Materials: Pre-cut hexagonal tiles — one labelled set of 15 to 20 per group, Blank tiles for student-generated concepts, Markers or printed concept labels in the medium of instruction, A3 sheets or chart paper for mounting the final arrangement, Printable link-label strips for annotating connection sentences

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should avoid telling students the ‘correct’ meaning of a symbol. Instead, guide them to gather evidence from the text, compare interpretations, and respect multiple valid readings. Research shows that discussions where students defend their views deepen analytical thinking more than closed-ended answers.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining why an author chose a specific symbol and what it might represent beyond the literal. They should compare interpretations, justify their views, and apply this skill to both familiar and new texts.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Symbol Hunt in Poems, students may point to every object as a symbol.

What to Teach Instead

Remind them to focus only on objects that carry emotional or thematic weight, not everyday items like ‘the ground’ or ‘the sky’ unless the poet specifically uses them symbolically.

Common Misconception

During Create Your Symbol, students assume their symbol should mean the same thing to everyone.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt them to write a short story context where the symbol’s meaning shifts based on the scene, showing that meanings are context-dependent.

Common Misconception

During Symbol Charades, students act out the literal meaning instead of the symbolic one.

What to Teach Instead

Have them present both actions and ask peers to guess which is literal and which is symbolic before revealing their intended meaning.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Symbol Hunt in Poems, hand out an exit ticket with a short excerpt. Ask students to underline one possible symbol and write two sentences explaining why it could represent an abstract idea based on the poem’s theme.

Discussion Prompt

During Story Symbol Analysis, display an image of the Indian national emblem (the Lion Capital of Ashoka). Ask students to connect its symbols to themes in the story they analyzed, discussing how cultural symbols compare to literary ones.

Quick Check

During Symbol Charades, after each round, ask students to hold up one finger for the literal meaning and two for the symbolic meaning they guessed. Call on two students to justify their choice using evidence from the charades performance.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to rewrite a paragraph replacing the symbol with a literal description and explain how the tone or theme changes.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide a word bank of possible meanings for the symbol they find during Symbol Hunt in Poems.
• Deeper exploration: Ask students to research cultural symbols in Indian folklore and compare their meanings across texts.

Key Vocabulary

Symbol	An object, person, or event that represents something else, usually an abstract idea or concept.
Literal Meaning	The most basic, straightforward meaning of a word or object, without any hidden or implied significance.
Symbolic Meaning	The deeper, figurative meaning that an object or action represents beyond its literal interpretation.
Abstract Idea	A concept or feeling that cannot be physically touched or seen, such as love, fear, or hope.
Recurring Symbol	A symbol that appears multiple times within a single literary work, often reinforcing its significance.