A (brief) discussion of symbolism

Symbols are things associated with other things that are used to take the place of them.
Symbols are used in art and we are using them to create our book of jewels.

So I've been trying to think of symbols that kind of sum me up for my book.
I should also point out that I have recently been re-reading my book collection of favourite books which includes both Alice in Wonderland and The Catcher in the Rye.
P.S. Both mega symbolic books.

Alice uses symbol EVERYWHERE - in fact here is an excerpt from my English blog that demonstrates C.S. Lewis' use of symbol and metaphor.

Chapter Five: Advice from the Caterpillar
Summary: Alice asks the caterpillar how she can get bigger but it does not answer her and instead makes her recite a poem which she does incorrectly. She has difficulties explaining who she is. The caterpillar then tells her to take some mushroom to change size. She shrinks and then she grows. She shoots through the trees and sees a pigeon who accuses her of being a serpent. She then returns to her normal height.
Characters: Alice, the Blue Caterpillar, the Pigeon.
Figurative language: The caterpillar continually questions Alice on her identity which she cannot confirm, proving to an identity crisis, another typical characteristic of a teenager. She recites a poem for the caterpillar, though incorrectly, suggesting she is having trouble being herself, as we assume she could once recite this poem correctly. She is told to take some mushroom. A mushroom in the presence of man can symbolise carefully disguised identities or ones true identity. So we assume that this time, instead of taking a bite from her childhood, Alice is eating from who she really is. I don’t think she is eating away at who she really is, but immersing her palette in this new person. It comes as a surprise to me that this time Alice is not eating a childish or tasty food, like a cake, but a mushroom, showing her developed an acquired tastes. But upon eating the mushroom she continues to shrink and grow, so she is not grown up yet. She shoots through the trees and sees a pigeon which symbolises love and security of home and fertility. I think that this means that although she left the comfort and protection of the White Rabbit’s home she is still finding that security around her. The pigeon however mistakes her in a similar way to the White Rabbit and believes she is a serpent. Serpents and snakes can represent many different things, from repressed sexual energy to renewal and rebirth to anger and vengefulness. In this case I think that she is being mistaken as a source of repressed sexual energy or somebody who is in need of rebirth and renewal. It is funny that a creature that represents fertility is commenting on repressed sexual feeling or fertile springtime rebirth. It is at this point Alice finally returns to her normal height.

Symbolism is everywhere. In Catcher, instead of saying over and over "Holden Caufield is having trouble being a grown up and every time he is in the presence of somebody who is older and more powerful than him he begins to feel horrible and puts on a red hunting cap that makes him feel safe because it is the same colour as his dead brothers' hair" it uses symbolism. The red hunting cap - a symbol of security that comes with the relationship he had with his brother. The fact he constantly puts it on and takes it off - a symbol depicting WHEN he is comfortable/uncomfortable etc.

It's in songs.
QUEEN - BICYCLE

Instead of saying "wow, you guys are all totally desperate to go with the new technology and fit in with the television-loving crowd and be awesome I'm going to hang out over here and stick to the stuff I love" Freddy Mercury says "I want to ride my bike. Yeah, there's going to be a race. Whatever. Get ready. Nice. You say this, I'm gonna say something different just because I can, and while I do I'm going to ride my bike." (NOT ACTUAL LYRICS) But that's what he's getting at.

He's saying he wants to chill out and ride a bike because it's much easier to say that than saying he wants to do something a little bit different to everyone else.
It's the same in Catcher. Holden Caufield is telling a really sad story ON A SYMBOLIC LEVEL (all the kid wants to do is talk, I mean, come on) but instead of having to go through the pain and the confrontation of saying all these things, it will tell you symbolically.

It's the same thing in the LBJ.
It's hard work to sit yourself down and draw out every happy and painful moment in your life from start to finish, but by eluding to it using symbol and visual language, it's easier.

P.S. The brief was sarcasm; something very different to symbolism.