Symbolism Thesaurus Entry: Freedom

Every day we interact with objects, places and sensations that affect the way we think and feel. This can be used to the writer's advantage by planting symbols in the reader's path to reinforce a specific message, feeling or idea.

Look at the setting and the character's state of mind, and then think about what you want the reader to see. Is there a descriptive symbol or two that works naturally within the scene to help foreshadow an event or theme, or create insight into the character's emotional plight?

In Nature:

The open sea

A horse
The wind
A bird in flight

An open field
Wide open spaces

Insects flitting from one flower to the next

Squirrels jumping from tree to tree

In Society:
An open prison cell
An open lock
An open door

Empty shackles or handcuffs

A broken chain

A key

An animal being released into the wild

A flag

A country's Independence Day/birthday

Your first car

Graduation Day
The open road
Motorcycles

A person walking away

Human rights

Dancing
Nakedness
Knowledge
Vacations

These are just a few examples of things one might associate with freedom. Some are more powerful than others. Empty shackles are a strong symbol, and likely will not require reinforcement. However, a bird in flight could represent numerous things and may not foreshadow freedom on its own. Let the story's tone decide if one strong symbol or several smaller ones work the best.