Question

4) What is a "symbol"? What are examples of symbols? How do symbols change?

Answer 1

A symbol is a mark, sign or character that represents an idea, object, or relationship. For example, ‘He’ is the chemical symbol for the element, Helium. The meanings attached to a symbol change with time, place, and context. What these symbols might have meant in the past doesn't necessarily have to be the same as what they mean in the present, or the future. The meanings of symbols are also subject to change depending on different regions and situations. One example can be the ‘swastika’. In the Hindu religion, the swastika signifies Lord Vishnu. However, this symbol to others is mostly associated with Hitler and the Nazi rule.