What does symbol mean in language arts?

Answer 1

A symbol is something that represents something else. When this happens, the object is said to be symbolic.

For example, a character could be going through a really rough time and in those scenes it's always snowing. The snow and cold weather represents the hardship in the character's life.

Another example: During times of great conflict the sky will often be dark and stormy, but when things start to get better the clouds will break and sunlight will pour though.

One more example: it's often said that Little Red Riding Hood's red cloak represents her vulnerable nature. She's a little girl alone in a dense forest, and the bright color of her cloak represents what a target she is in that setting.