In literature, what is a symbol? an object that does not actually represent what it is supposed to be something that functions in a story the way you expect but also stands for something more than itself something that serves a different function in the story than what is expected a musical instrument?

I believe the best answer to be letter b. something that functions in a story the way you expect but also stands for something more than itself.

Explanation:

In literature, a symbol is a device that contains several layers of meaning. There is the literal, obvious meaning at first but, as we pay attention to the deeper levels, we realize other meanings are also present. A common symbol in poems and narratives, for instance, is the bird. The bird, at first, refers to the animal itself. However, as we analyze the context, the story, the conflicts, it is common to find that the bird is a representative of freedom. A caged bird, therefore, is a symbol for oppression, captivity. For those reasons, the best option seems to be letter b. something that functions in a story the way you expect but also stands for something more than itself.

as for symbolic actions, the narrator's tearing down the wallpaper in an attempt to find the "woman" in the wallpaper represents her struggle to retain or regain her sanity.   the wallpaper has been part of her confinement and by her tearing it down, she is freeing herself from that confinement.