To be effective illiteracy symbol should be a. something everyone recognizes. b. both itself and something more. c. a poetic image from nature. d. an object that represents the main character.

I believe that in order to be effective, a literary symbol should be both itself and something more.
For example, a dove can simply represent a female pigeon bird; however, if we consider its symbolic value, we know that a dove is a symbol of peace.
A symbol can have many different meanings, and although there are some that are universally accepted, something can still mean many different things to different people. 

Ethos