Color Symbolism

Gray is a color that’s sometimes dismissed as being dull or boring. However, when you look closely, there’s a whole rainbow of gray shades out there. Some are shades of “true” gray, meaning they’re blends of pure black and pure white. Others incorporate hints of even bright colors to form warm-leaning or cool-leaning shades. Gray […]

Every color has a symbolic meaning, but some shades have richer, more multilayered meanings than others. Silver is one of these colors. Its complex meaning comes from the fact that, properly speaking, silver is two different symbols: the color silver and the metal silver. If you come across silver in a poem, novel, short story,

Few colors are used symbolically — in fairy tales and modern novels — like gold. It stands for riches, power, success, royalty, beauty, and even divinity. And just as it does in the real world, in the literary world, gold makes a statement wherever it goes, and its range of potential symbolic meanings is much

When you think of color symbolism in literature, you might imagine vivid and fantastically bright shades: rich reds, shimmering silvers, and sunny yellows. However, even dull and commonplace shades can impart paradoxically rich symbolism. Brown has a reputation for being drab and uninteresting. But as we’ll see in a moment, it can add new and

When you imagine the color pink, what do you think of? Maybe you picture roses, peonies, and other delicate pink flowers. Maybe you think of pink-frosted cupcakes in a bakery’s pastry case. Or perhaps you think of ballet dancers in pink tutus. Like any color, pink can mean very different things in different contexts. And

If you’ve studied color theory for any length of time, you already know that — technically speaking — white isn’t a single color. Instead, it’s the presence of all colors, and you can see that fact illustrated by light. Visible light can be split into a series of different wavelengths, each of which has a

Any color can be used symbolically in a poem, novel, or short story. However, few colors are as mysterious and multilayered as black. This deep shade can impart a whole range of symbolic meanings — depending on the context, it can stand for grief, depression, evil, death, mystery, formality, heaviness, or bleakness. Thanks to its

If a piece of poetry or prose includes vivid color symbolism, we as readers have a window to better understand its layers of meaning. However, some colors have more nuanced symbolic meanings than others. Purple is one of these colors. This rich shade has traditionally been associated with either sorrow or royalty and wealth, but

Blue is a shade that has captivated us for centuries. As the color of the sea and sky, it inspires a sense of vastness and wonder that few colors can. So it’s no wonder that poets and writers often use it to convey symbolic meaning. Here’s a look at a few poems, short stories, novels,

Green is the color of spring, of growth, and of new life. If you’ve ever gotten lost in a captivating poem, novel, or story, you know that it can feel like wandering through a beautifully vibrant ecosystem. That might make it seem like green is an ideal color for creating memorable literary symbols. Interestingly enough,