The Secret Lion: Symbolism To Reinforce The Theme In the story “The Secret Lion” the author Alberto Alvaro Ri’os , uses symbolism to reinforce and illuminate the theme. The key symbols in this story reinforce its central theme: that change is unstoppable, and that change is always accompanied by loss. Alberto Alvaro Ri’os uses a lion to represent the change ; which is moving from innocence to experience, from childhood to adulthood. Its considered a secret lion because nobody notices it, and once they do its to late because the change has already taken place. He also uses a golf