What is a symbol in literature?请帮忙给出正确答案和分析 谢谢！

正确答案：A symbol is a sign which suggests more than its literal meaning. In other words a symbol is both literal and figurative. A symbol is a way of telling a story and a way of conveying meaning. The best symbols are those that are believable in the lives of the characters and also convincing as they convey a meaning beyond the literal level of the story. If the symbol is obscure or ambiguous then the very obscurity and the ambiguity may also be part of the meaning of the story.
Asymbolisasignwhichsuggestsmorethanitsliteralmeaning.Inotherwords,asymbolisbothliteralandfigurative.Asymbolisawayoftellingastoryandawayofconveyingmeaning.Thebestsymbolsarethosethatarebelievableinthelivesofthecharactersandalsoconvincingastheyconveyameaningbeyondtheliterallevelofthestory.Ifthesymbolisobscureorambiguous,thentheveryobscurityandtheambiguitymayalsobepartofthemeaningofthestory.