Symbolism Is No Longer Popular
In the famous book “The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald makes superb use of symbolism. This literary tool allowed Scott to give objects and people multiple meanings without explicitly stating them. The most prevalent example is the flashing green light, which many readers believe symbolizes hope. There have probably been over a thousand high school book reports about this green light.
Authors who use symbolism require their readers to “fill in the blanks,” which pulls readers further into the story, generates discussion, and adds mystery.
Because of their brevity, songs are often symbolic. A great example is “I’d do anything for love (but I won’t do that)” by Meat Loaf. The singer does not explicitly explain the meaning behind the title to maintain the mystery, which keeps the song popular and adds to its endearing quality. As a listener, it is fun to ponder the hidden meaning, and I still think about what this song means every time I hear it.
How many times have I used symbolism in my books and articles? Not even once. I would not touch this literary technique with a ten-foot pole! The reasons are clear as day. Writing is hard enough without forcing my readers to guess what I am thinking. Plus, society no longer has the time to contemplate deep meaning, and intentionally vague or confusing topics will only lead to bad reviews.
Still, I like to keep things mysterious by holding back some facts, but by the end of the story, I got far out of my way to explain every detail, or I tell them why this hidden knowledge remains hidden. So, if you encounter a green light in my work, it is just a green light.
And I am not alone. Of the popular books I have read in the last ten years, I have not encountered one that had a single symbolic sentence. When did this downturn occur? Perhaps in the seventies? At that time, the peace movement faltered, so we collectively shrugged and began disco dancing. I suppose, like leisure suits, symbolic books went out of fashion.
Do I enjoy pondering the more profound meaning in a book? Not really, because I have joined the masses. Every day, information hits me like a hurricane, and I struggle to make sense of what little I let in. In the limited amount of time I devote to reading, I cannot be bothered with a book that does not get to the point. Green lights mean go!
What about the classics or books that are marked as symbolic? I suppose there is a limited market for this. The Great Gatsby will always be popular, and some readers really like a challenge.
Will readers ever re-embrace symbolic books outside of the classroom? Perhaps they will. After all, bell-bottom jeans were briefly popular in the 90s. Is this a sad fact of life that society has cast aside symbolic books? I guess, but there is another viewpoint to consider. Modern authors have done all the symbolic unscrambling for their readers, resulting in a clear and coherent story. Everybody wins!
You’re the best -Bill
June 16, 2021 Updated November 30, 2025
Authors who use symbolism require their readers to “fill in the blanks,” which pulls readers further into the story, generates discussion, and adds mystery.
Because of their brevity, songs are often symbolic. A great example is “I’d do anything for love (but I won’t do that)” by Meat Loaf. The singer does not explicitly explain the meaning behind the title to maintain the mystery, which keeps the song popular and adds to its endearing quality. As a listener, it is fun to ponder the hidden meaning, and I still think about what this song means every time I hear it.
How many times have I used symbolism in my books and articles? Not even once. I would not touch this literary technique with a ten-foot pole! The reasons are clear as day. Writing is hard enough without forcing my readers to guess what I am thinking. Plus, society no longer has the time to contemplate deep meaning, and intentionally vague or confusing topics will only lead to bad reviews.
Still, I like to keep things mysterious by holding back some facts, but by the end of the story, I got far out of my way to explain every detail, or I tell them why this hidden knowledge remains hidden. So, if you encounter a green light in my work, it is just a green light.
And I am not alone. Of the popular books I have read in the last ten years, I have not encountered one that had a single symbolic sentence. When did this downturn occur? Perhaps in the seventies? At that time, the peace movement faltered, so we collectively shrugged and began disco dancing. I suppose, like leisure suits, symbolic books went out of fashion.
Do I enjoy pondering the more profound meaning in a book? Not really, because I have joined the masses. Every day, information hits me like a hurricane, and I struggle to make sense of what little I let in. In the limited amount of time I devote to reading, I cannot be bothered with a book that does not get to the point. Green lights mean go!
What about the classics or books that are marked as symbolic? I suppose there is a limited market for this. The Great Gatsby will always be popular, and some readers really like a challenge.
Will readers ever re-embrace symbolic books outside of the classroom? Perhaps they will. After all, bell-bottom jeans were briefly popular in the 90s. Is this a sad fact of life that society has cast aside symbolic books? I guess, but there is another viewpoint to consider. Modern authors have done all the symbolic unscrambling for their readers, resulting in a clear and coherent story. Everybody wins!
You’re the best -Bill
June 16, 2021 Updated November 30, 2025
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