Which statement best explains how lowell uses the aquarium and the statue of colonel shaw as symbols? neither the aquarium nor the monument are able to stand the test of time because they are man-made symbols, as only natural things can endure. the aquarium that has been destroyed is a symbol for the natural, beautiful things that are destroyed, while shaw's statue is a symbol of the future. both the aquarium and the monument are architectural structures that have been destroyed or almost destroyed, and are symbols for a decent past. the monument to colonel shaw was a symbol for the civil rights movement, and was replaced by the aquarium, which is merely a commercial enterprise.