The example answer on plato is:
A symbol gives the object that it represents a deeper and more significant meaning. For example, a poet may write, “My love is a wagging tail.” If the image of a wagging tail is used throughout the poem to refer to love, love acquires the qualities of the wagging tail—its enthusiasm, its friendliness, and its association with a happy dog. You might also conclude (and probably quite correctly) that the poet loves dogs. This symbol can serve to enrich the concept of love and give it new dimension. Therefore, symbols can give poets the opportunity to present their worldview to readers and create connections where you may not have seen them before. Through the clever and evocative use of symbols, writers can move the meanings of common objects from the ordinary to something much deeper and richer.
I hope this helps <3
