The term 'representation' carries a range of meanings and interpretations. In literary theory, 'representation' is commonly defined in three ways.

• To look like or resemble
• To stand in for something or someone
• To present a second time; to re-present.

Aristotle discusses representation in three ways—

• The object: The symbol being represented.
• Manner: The way the symbol is represented.
• Means: The material that is used to represent it.
  • The means of literary representation is language.

An important part of representation is the relationship between what the material and what it represents. The questions arising from this are, A stone may represent a man but how? And by what and by what agreement, does this understanding of the representation occur?

• representation
  • chemical or structural formula for chemicals
  • mathematical formula or equations
  • Visual representations
    • Visual representations in a 2d format more simple