I have a confession to make, everyone. Are you ready? This is a big one. I am an English major and I hate talking about symbolism.

Some people read novels and look for more symbolism than a Dan Brown character. That’s the way it’s always been, and as long as there are high school English teachers, that’s the way it will always be.

Sure, there may be a few Easter eggs hidden away in the details every now and then, but the only symbols the writer means to plant are the glaring, obvious one. I’m not talking about those. I’m talking about the out-on-a-limb things you hear in class sometimes like, “The curtains are red because they symbolize the color of passion the protagonist secretly feels for his best friend’s wife.” WHOA, THERE.

Don’t believe me? Ask a writer. Oh wait, someone already did! In 1963, a 16 year old asked 150 writers whether they consciously placed symbolism in their work. The majority of the authors gave a resounding NO.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with reading a novel critically. In fact, it’s a very important skill to have. But there’s a huge difference between noticing what is there and over thinking what is there. I had an English professor who once said, “At a certain point, the symbolism you notice becomes more of a mirror than anything else.”
I love that. As always, we see what we want to see. We use details to reinforce our opinions. It’s a human thing, and it happens in every part of our life, not just in books.

I feel better with this off my chest. I love discussing books and all the devices a writer uses, but sometimes the curtains are red just because they’re red.

Do you have any stories about your high school English teacher overreaching on symbols? Do you just hate critical reading & dissection of novels all together? Tell me about it in the comments!