How do we tell the difference between a literary symbol and any other person, place, or thing in the story?
A symbol dominates either the actions, thoughts, or feelings of either the main characters or the narrative description.
A symbol is always drawn from Christian or classical tradition.
The narrator tells the readers at some point that a person, place, or thing is symbolic.
A symbol can only mean one thing while people, places and things mean many things.
A symbol is never part of the story's setting or circumstances but stands apart from it.