Universal Symbols
This weather event is often used in literature to symbolize a character’s internal turmoil, a moral cleansing, or impending danger.
Storm/Rain
In Pixar’s Inside Out, the different "islands" in Riley's mind serve as an allegory for this psychological concept.
What is personality development/getting older
This color is frequently used to symbolize passion, blood, anger, or danger. In The Scarlet Letter, it represents sin and shame.
Red
How old are String Bean and No Filter?
Thirteen
This animal is a near-universal symbol for wisdom, though in some cultures it is actually a symbol of death or bad luck.
Owl
If a raven were to appear throughout a story, what might that symbolize?
Wisdom/Destruction
This movie serves as an allegory for the dangers of imperialism, the destruction of indigenous cultures and environments, and the consequences of corporate greed (hint: they are blue)
Avatar (2009)
In literature, this number often represents balance, a crossroads, or the spiritual world (e.g., the Holy Trinity)
Three
What does the fire symbolize in the story?
Protection/Safety
If a character is described as "foxy" or "vulpine," the author is symbolizing that the character has this personality trait.
What is cunning/slyness/deception
Autumn/Fall
Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax is a famous children’s story that serves as an allegory for this global crisis, represented by the "Once-ler" and the "Truffula Trees."
Environmental Destruction/Greed/Capitalism
This color often represents decay, corruption, or—more positively—rebirth and nature. In The Great Gatsby, it represents wealth and "the go-ahead."
Green
Loss of culture/identity (answers may vary)
In literature, this insect often symbolizes hard work, social order, and the "hive mind."
Ant or a Bee
Often appearing in myths, this mythical bird symbolizes rebirth, cyclical time, and rising from the ashes of failure
A Phoenix
In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, the "Mechanical Hound" isn't just a robot; it is a terrifying allegory for this government tactic used to keep citizens in line.
Surveillance
This number often symbolizes "completion" or "perfection" in Western literature (e.g., the days of creation, the colors of the rainbow).
Seven
What does the 'sight' and 'hearing' symbolize in the story?
The ability to interact, contribute and be a part of one's culture and community
In many Asian literatures, this mythical creature symbolizes power, strength, and good luck, unlike its Western version which is often a symbol of greed or evil.
Dragon
This color is a "double-edged" symbol; it can represent purity and innocence, but it can also represent emptiness, ghosts, or the coldness of death.
White
Unlike a symbol, which is a single "point" of meaning, an allegory is often described as this—a story that can be read on two distinct levels simultaneously.
an extended metaphor
This specific colour was historically used as a symbol of royalty or imperial power because the dye was so expensive to produce.
Purple
What is the overall allegory of the story?
(answers may vary)
In literature and folklore, this animal is known as the "Trickster" archetype. It symbolizes the bridge between the human world and the spirit world, often representing chaos, intelligence, and the subversion of rules.
Coyote/Raven/Spider