SYMBOL:  
    1. A thing that represents or stands for something else, esp. a material object representing something abstract
    2. A mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process, e.g., the letter or letters standing for a chemical element or a character in musical notation
    3. A shape or sign used to represent something such as an organization, e.g., a red cross or a Star of David
 SYMBOL
 : an authoritative summary of faith or doctrine : creed
2  : something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance; especially : a visible sign of something invisible
3  : an arbitrary or conventional sign used in writing or printing relating to a particular field to represent operations, quantities, elements, relations, or qualities
: an object or act representing something in the unconscious mind that has been repressed
: an act, sound, or object having cultural significance and the capacity to excite or objectify a response

The above definitions were taken from google.com and merriam-webster.com.  In referencing literary symbols, how to these definitions work together or exclude one another?  Is a symbol different from a literary symbol?  What is your definition of a literary symbol?




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