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Determine whether the following symbols are universal or contextual.

Determine whether the following symbols are universal or contextual.-example-1

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Answer:

Universal symbols - a red rose in The Nightingale and the Rose, the water in The Water of Life

Contextual symbols - hot buns in A Little Princess, a mockingbird in To Kill a Mockingbird

Step-by-step explanation:

A symbol is a word or object that stands for another word or object. Symbols are often used in literature to give us another, deeper meaning that goes beyond what's literally written. Symbols can be:

  • Universal - symbols that are always recognized as a reference to something else, e.g. a red rose as a symbol of love, water as a symbol of life, a dove as a symbol of peace, etc.
  • Contextual - symbols that have a specific meaning only in the story they are used in, e.g. hot buns in A Little Princess, a mockingbird in To Kill a Mockingbird. These things don't have this particular symbolic meaning outside these stories, unlike universal symbols, which can be recognized in many works and many cultures.
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