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Q&A How to cue in our readers that we are using an uncommon symbolism?

One way to do it subtly might be to show the character's reactions to the symbols. For example: John was about to enter the room when he noticed the tulip painted to the side of the door. He he...

posted 5y ago by celtschk‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-13T09:04:47Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43218
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T11:13:00Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43218
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T11:13:00Z (almost 5 years ago)
One way to do it subtly might be to show the character's reactions to the symbols. For example:

> John was about to enter the room when he noticed the tulip painted to the side of the door. He hesitated. Not that he was superstitious, rationally he certainly knew that this was just the image of a nice flower. But that couldn't convince his emotions. After all, more than enough bad things had happened to him this day already.
> 
> Anyway, his rational mind won, and he entered the room, although not without looking extra carefully at every corner where someone could hide, despite his analytical mind telling him that there should be no danger at all. And indeed, he reached the other end of the room without any incident.
> 
> He relieved, although he hated himself for it. It was just as stupid to consider himself safer now as it had been stupid to worry because of such a stupid symbol, and he had lost valuable time. He swore to himself to ignore those symbols from now on, and firmly stepped through the next door.
> 
> And that was when the shot hit him.

Note that nowhere I told what the symbol means. Yet I'm sure you have at least a rough idea about its meaning by now.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2019-03-08T19:24:38Z (over 5 years ago)
Original score: 5