Symbolism

symbolism can take many forms including: A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning. 

Here is an excellent example:

Lord of the Rings 

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

(The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien)

J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings, is a hero’s quest in which the hobbit Frodo Baggins must destroy an all-powerful ring. This object is imbued with magic through its creation, and is a symbol for ultimate power. The ultimate power also becomes equated with evil. The ring simply being in Frodo’s presence begins to turn Frodo toward desire of power, and thus evil. However, Frodo’s ability to combat the power of the ring shows that he possesses a great inner source of goodness.