symbolism
n. uncountablen. the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. You use this when an object, person, or color in a story or painting stands for a bigger concept, like a heart representing love.
n. the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. Often involves the use of concrete objects to signify abstract concepts within a literary or artistic framework.
The white dove is a common example of symbolism for peace.
The author uses the changing seasons as symbolism for the protagonist's emotional growth throughout the novel.
Scholars often debate whether the recurring motif of the broken clock is intended as symbolism for the collapse of the old social order or merely a literal plot device.
From symbol + -ism, sense 2 being a semantic loan from French symbolisme.
Often paired with the preposition 'of' to identify the concept being represented.