— an object or signal that stands for something else; usually a visible image that represents a concept. Obviously, concepts are invisible. We cannot point to the idea of democracy as we can point to a car or a dog. A symbol, however, gives us a visible point of reference for these invisible things. Thus, the American flag is a symbol of those democratic ideas that unite 50 states under one government. Similarly, the rose has long been used by poets to symbolize the idea of beauty; and the