So this isn't really something that I learned from a specific site but more of something I picked up from reading and writing a lot.


A good time to use symbolism is during first impressions.

Whether it's between a person, place or thing and the reader or another character, symbolism is super useful for setting the mood since first impressions of such things are the strongest thing you as a reader will remember about them.

A really good example of this, if you've ever seen or read Overlord, is when the audience is introduced to The Re-Estize Kingdom and when Gazef meets Brain. (Here's the scene I'm talking about) 
The scene starts off when Gazef is running through the dark gloomy streets of the Re-Estize while it's raining. As he's passing by one of the alleyways he notices someone. Brain Unglaus, one of the strongest swordsmen, looking like a beaten dog. He's sitting in the rain curled up in a ball with a hopeless expression on his face.
All this gives the impression that the Re-Estize Kingdom is a dark place where crime and other things of the like are commonplace and that Brain Unglaus, the second strongest swordsman, had just experienced something that broke his fangs and tore his dignity away from him.

What I'm getting at is that if you want to get the reader to view something or someone in your story in a certain light, then use symbolism in their introduction to achieve that.

You can also use symbolism in other places but that takes practice, so use it in moderation.

Hope this helps!