This paper will discuss the use of the following symbols from the casebook stories: the gooseberries in Gooseberries by Anton Chekov; the bull in Greenleaf by Flannery O'Connor; clothing in "A Late Encounter with the Enemy" also by Flannery O'Connor; heat and ice in "Heat" by Joyce Carol Oates. By understanding these symbols, we can further realize how the authors try to convey meaning in their writings. 5 pgs. Bibliography lists 5 sources.