The literary device of symbolism appears in a large number of stories and novels. When everyday words mean something completely different, this illustrates the meaning of the word symbolism. Symbolism usually requires a deep understanding of the work and how the author perceives it. Symbolism presents itself in abundance in the novel Life of Pi: A Novel. Yann Martel has well placed many words with different meanings throughout Life of Pi: A Novel. The short story "Beach Glass", by Amy Clampitt, also contains a lot of symbolism and these symbols compare similarly and contrary to the depictions found in the story Life of Pi: A Novel. Pollution, homes, and the ocean all appear as different symbols in the two literary works. A scene from "Beach Glass" compares and contrasts with parts of Life of Pi: A Novel. This section of “Beach Glass” talks about a “shipwreck” (Clampitt 701) and other objects found in the ocean. At first this section appears outwardly to relate to an actual crashed ship. The crashing ship in "Beach Glass" and Life of Pi: A Novel appears to be a similar subject. These scenes tell how a ship crash affects both Pi and the story of "Beach Glass". But looking at “Beach Glass” as a whole yields a deeper meaning than just the crash of a ship. The wreckage and all the different things found in the ocean actually compare more to overall water pollution. Both stories contain pollution in their respective oceans. Pollution symbolizes the degraded state of the oceans and how pollution continues to accumulate without anyone taking care of it. The author of "Beach Glass" explains things seen in the ocean that hurt animals and o...... middle of paper ...... religion and ancient history. Symbolism explains certain events without overtly expressing them out loud. Finding the symbolism in a work may require a little scratching of the surface. Or, it might take a huge mining operation to find all the symbolism. Authors use symbolism in their small and large works of writing. Symbols appear in short stories and novels. The novel Life of Pi: A Novel and the short story "Beach Glass" contain similar symbolism. Pollution, houses, and the lack of care of the oceans all make appearances in "Beach Glass" and Life of Pi: A Novel. These symbols compare and contrast nicely. These symbols present in the two stories make the reader understand the concept that Yann Martel and Amy Clampitt are trying to convey. Reading and understanding these symbols leads to a deeper and more accurate understanding of these literary works..