Symbolism in Fantasy Novels
S.R. Beaston
Crafty with words, wit, and wisdom, just add caffeine to make it more interesting.
Not only are fantasy books a wonderful escapism tool, they're also able to deliver meaning to the readers through symbolic themes. Symbolism is often happening subtly, as to not break the fantasy immersion, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important.
Fantasy has unlimited resources you can utilize to portray symbolism and is one of my favorite tools to convey depth in my stories. Here is a breakdown of the power of symbolism in fantasy and how to use it.
What is symbolism in stories?
Symbolism is a literary device that ties in themes and ideas to your story by use of props, color, shapes, characters, and other elements. Despite the precise depiction of the symbol, it holds a completely different, and often subtle, meaning behind it.
The most common examples of symbolism in fantasy are through objects associated with the genre. A wizard staff means wisdom and magic. A sword represents strength and growth. A white dress insinuates purity and innocence. A castle can show power. This, however, is just the surface.
A more direct example of symbolism is the direwolf in Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire), which represented family and loyalty in the Stark family.
The Importance of Symbolism
With genres like scifi and fantasy, one of the few restrictions you should take into consideration is how obvious your theme is. Fantasy by definition is the imagination of the impossible, working outside means of reality.
If your novel screams "this is about not fitting in and escaping a terrible family and finding a new one and being happy with yourself", it may not resonate with those who enjoy reading fantasy. Your theme, though grounded in reality, should be suspended, removed enough from you, the writer, and reality to make it stand on its own, buried nicely under the veil of imagination and wonder.
Under that layer of them is your symbolism, even more vague and possibly missable. This is the metaphor that supports your theme, the reward the reader gets for paying attention, the ominous foreshadowing that people catch onto on their second read through.
Fantasy stories tend to be large, and not every idea or theme can be addressed as strongly as the main one. Symbolism can be used for any secondary plot.
How to use symbolism in Fantasy
There are countless ways to use symbolism in your story, but for fantasy, we might be able to narrow down some techniques to the most helpful ones.
Use repetition
Look for organic repetition in your story. If you are using fantastical elements like visions as a plot device for your character, look at what the visions are showing. Have you written any consistent visuals? Are there words that echo throughout their head every now and then?
Are there animals or objects that are prominent in your character's daily activities? If so, why did you choose that item? You might have already planted the seeds of symbolism.
If there are symbols you have used in your story, keep them consistent and scattered seamlessly throughout the story. Make it curious and intriguing.
Know your theme
Knowing the theme of your story can help you narrow down the symbols you want to use to convey your message. Themes are the point of the story, while symbolism supports it. You want whatever symbol you use to make sense and feel natural in the world you build.
For example, the main theme in my novel is that it’s not about what you are, but who you are. My main character is the one to carry this theme. She’s someone who looks down on ‘mortals’, though she’s one herself. She protects what she is, but doesn’t know who she is.
A bird follows her, a specific breed of bird known for death, mortality, protection, and new beginnings. The bird is symbolic of my character, who carries my theme. Ideally, this attempt at symbolism and slight foreshadowing will be subtle. My character still holds the burden of conveying my theme, but is pushed and confirmed by the symbology behind her.
Keep it simple
Any symbolism you use should be simple in nature. If it’s a color, stick to a well known color. If it’s an object, make it identifiable. Well-known shapes help with this. In fantasy, creatures, animals, nature, myths and events can be used, but it’s helpful to the reader if they are recognizable.
Be natural
I touch on it being natural here and there, but I cannot stress enough how jarring symbolism is when it’s forced. Your story should not bend to the idea of needing symbolism. Symbolism is a tool. You don’t have to shove in stormy weather to convey a gloomy mood.
Fantasy allows for a larger suspension of disbelief and wonder, but copping out of depth by using common symbolism undermines your ability to write the genre. There’s a difference between metaphorical representation and conveying a story confidently. Be confident in your words and the metaphor will fall into place.
Be subtle
The power of symbolism is that it can evoke a very specific understanding or emotion with a symbol, without the reader even realizing entirely. Again, you are not using this tool to tell the reader anything about the story that the story cannot convey without it. The Starks show their loyalty, love, and family ties without the direwolf symbolism, but you feel everything that family went through by seeing it.
Fantasy is one of the most fun forms of storytelling when it comes to symbolism. Hidden meanings add depth and nuance, while perhaps introducing hidden meanings and themes. They can be ignored and the story still feels complete. It also makes for great conversation in book clubs or video essays. If you are writing or reading fantasy, I recommend warming up your metaphorical muscles and keeping an eye out for the depth beyond the imagination.
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