The two stories I have up, one mostly finished one at the half way point, both are based in mythology or folklore. It is inevitable that symbolism will play a part in the story telling because as an author you are trying to use the events going on to tell both a simple story, what is happening, and a greater story, what it means. For this to happen, the setting you are using forms a sort of code book, where certain things, certain places, certain objects, carry a lot of symbolic baggage. When you use them, both the common intent and they mythical ones add to the story without having to beat people over the head about it.
Using an object with symbolism attached to it allows all the baggage of its mythology to be woven into the story without effort. Even better, since that mythology will be seen by people in a hundred different ways, often diametrically opposed, it will give your story deeper effect on the readers who have either positive or negative feelings on they symbolism involved.