When in high school Bruce McAllister mailed 150 writers about the nature of symbolism their writingwhat did he learn?

When Bruce McAllister mailed 150 writers in high school asking about the nature of symbolism in their writing, he learned that there was no single, universally agreed-upon definition or approach to symbolism. He received a wide variety of responses, highlighting the subjective and often intuitive nature of using symbolism in creative writing. The experience demonstrated the complexity of the topic and the individualistic way writers interpret and employ symbols.