QuinnKerno

Symbolism and its well-to-do cousin the Allegory have been integral components of literature since the inception of the craft, functioning as not only a technique for portraying ulterior meaning but also as the very purpose or intention of an author's decision to write the piece in the first place. Popularized in the early days of literature, symbolism was effectivly used by authors to express their thoughts without necessarily using words on the page to do so. By writing in such way authors were able to protect themselves against political and moral constraints often placed upon published material by government and ecclisiastic officials. The popularity of symbolism and its function throughout history has led to it being often represented in contemporary context as a form of epic.
As Thomas Foster suggests, symbolism is in many regards dependent upon the imaginative capabilities of the reader. Since authors are rarely available to give explanatory reviews of their work, the use of symbolism and allegory are completely open to the reader and allow for a very personal and engaging reading experience when they are prevelent.