Best examples of symbolism use in media?

[Blue Musician]

[sub]Searchbar approved, didn't find anything. I do not trust it though...[/sub]

I love symbolism. So I was wondering what are your best examples of symbolism? Appart from Silent Hill 2, that is.

When I say media it can be movies, animes, games, books, you name it.

For animes I would say Serial Experiments Lain, particularly in the last episodes. An of course Evangelion.

For games, well, Silent Hill 2 and American McGee's Alice in a sort of way.

Books and films... I actually do not have any examples.

So, which are your best examples of symbolism use?

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

This image popped into my head before I even opened this thread.

Spoiler: Heart Breaking Stuff

I think the man that took the photo killed himself from grief over it.

 

[Rasputin1]

This image popped into my head before I even opened this thread.

Spoiler: Heart Breaking Stuff

I think the man that took the photo killed himself from grief over it.

Wow ... I can understand why.

 

[Broken Blade]

The repeated Christian/Catholic symbolism in the Kingdom Hearts series. The Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, the X-Blade (pronounced Chi-Blade, same greek letter as what begins Christ) KINGDOM Hearts, Sora's crucifixion-esque pose as he sacrificed himself for Kairi, the seven Princesses of Heart (the Virtues), it goes on and on. Mostly because it's actually been really subtle, and unless you were looking for it you'd write it off as either the Japanese just being all symbolic again or simply calling on the same literary mechanics as Christian mythology. It's not really heavy-handed until recently, and even then it's more like a realization of it being there the entire time than it just getting anvilicious.

As an example of poor symbolism, and it's gonna get called up eventually, Evangelion uses a lot of kabalistic symbolism but doesn't really seem to do much with it. It's a bit annoying, to be honest.

EDIT:

This image popped into my head before I even opened this thread.

Spoiler: Heart Breaking Stuff

I think the man that took the photo killed himself from grief over it.

Oh? oh my. Wow. That's? I can see why he would.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

I'm sorry, but Silent Hill 2. Do I win? Games are still media you know!

 

[Gigaguy64]

Jin Roh:The Wolf Brigade had some excellent symbolism between its own story and a different version of the classic tale "Little Red Riding Hood".

 

[dthvirus]

Probably the blood in Macbeth. It symbolizes guilt and ambition in the story. Been a long time since I've read it.

A more contemporary example would be this pseudo-prefix 'i' that we see everywhere. It's all iThis and iThat. Symbol for individuality is how I read into it (which is pretty damn ironic considering how many people buy into this craze).

This image popped into my head before I even opened this thread.

Spoiler: Heart Breaking Stuff

I think the man that took the photo killed himself from grief over it.

Could you elaborate on the symbolism in this photo? All I see is a vulture waiting for a child to die. I see no representation of underlying concepts through a repeated use of imagery.

 

[AceDefective]

I realy dont know symbolism flys over my head like jets

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

Probably the blood in Macbeth. It symbolizes guilt and ambition in the story. Been a long time since I've read it.

A more contemporary example would be this pseudo-prefix 'i' that we see everywhere. It's all iThis and iThat. Symbol for individuality is how I read into it (which is pretty damn ironic considering how many people buy into this craze).

This image popped into my head before I even opened this thread.

Spoiler: Heart Breaking Stuff

I think the man that took the photo killed himself from grief over it.

Could you elaborate on the symbolism in this photo? All I see is a vulture waiting for a child to die. I see no representation of underlying concepts through a repeated use of imagery.

The symbol is the ravages of poverty in Africa.

 

[Hollyosaur]

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a wonderful book about the corruption of the American Dream.

It's worth a read of you haven't read it already.

Also, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is also about corrupt and the strenght of the human spirit.

The chapter (I think) always stood out to me. It's only a few pages long and about a turtle struggling up a hill in the desert up it sums up the whole book beautifully.

 

[Julianking93]

The repeated Christian/Catholic symbolism in the Kingdom Hearts series. The Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, the X-Blade (pronounced Chi-Blade, same greek letter as what begins Christ) KINGDOM Hearts, Sora's crucifixion-esque pose as he sacrificed himself for Kairi, the seven Princesses of Heart (the Virtues), it goes on and on. Mostly because it's actually been really subtle, and unless you were looking for it you'd write it off as either the Japanese just being all symbolic again or simply calling on the same literary mechanics as Christian mythology. It's not really heavy-handed until recently, and even then it's more like a realization of it being there the entire time than it just getting anvilicious.

What's funny is that while I noticed that, it didn't ever seem to bother me for some reason. Typically anything with heavy religious messages or symbolism will annoy the shit out of me. Just another reason why I love Kingdom Hearts since it was able to do it right.

Though really, that should be expected of them. It's Disney. They're typically gonna have some christian symbolism.

OT, ....uh....damn. I don't really know much symbolism off the top of my head.

 

[HuntrRose]

Boondock Saints. but they kinda go all out and say it...

doom III uses alot of symbolic imagry, but mostly just to scare little old religious ladies, not really trying for any deeper meaning there.

what else? hmm.. well, you can find symbolism and the use of symbols where ever you look if you want to. Most symbols are well known, and are used to set a certain mood or give the setting a certain feel to it, and this only works because the symbols used are known to the viewer.

Oh.. and in all western works you'll find alot more christian symbols than elsewhere, as you'll find more buddhist symbols in works from the far east and so on.

 

[Red Right Hand]

Books and films... I actually do not have any examples.

So, which are your best examples of symbolism use?

Read "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey. A story of patients in a mental hospital and a new patient joins them, the enigmatic Randle P. McMurphy. The symbolism in that is fantastic. Also watch the film as well, not as good as the book but still an excellent film.

EDIT: "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson is excellent as well. It's about two men's journey into the savage heart of the American Dream.

 

[Broken Blade]

The repeated Christian/Catholic symbolism in the Kingdom Hearts series. The Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, the X-Blade (pronounced Chi-Blade, same greek letter as what begins Christ) KINGDOM Hearts, Sora's crucifixion-esque pose as he sacrificed himself for Kairi, the seven Princesses of Heart (the Virtues), it goes on and on. Mostly because it's actually been really subtle, and unless you were looking for it you'd write it off as either the Japanese just being all symbolic again or simply calling on the same literary mechanics as Christian mythology. It's not really heavy-handed until recently, and even then it's more like a realization of it being there the entire time than it just getting anvilicious.

What's funny is that while I noticed that, it didn't ever seem to bother me for some reason. Typically anything with heavy religious messages or symbolism will annoy the shit out of me. Just another reason why I love Kingdom Hearts since it was able to do it right.

Though really, that should be expected of them. It's Disney. They're typically gonna have some christian symbolism.

To be fair, this seems to be Nomura's pet project, so he's the one inserting it into the stories. But he works the symbolism in so very well that it actually works.

Oh, and one more: at Hollow Bastion before Riku takes his keyblade and he saves Kairi, Sora actually walks across water. Though that was just an insanely cool moment until I realized how broken this world was in the wake of the Heartless' attack, and it became a lot more sobering.

 

[GamesBooksMusic]

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
A good read, I must say. Ex: SPOILER ALERT
?A water snake glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from side to side; and it swam the length of the pool and came to the legs of a motionless heron that stood in the shallows. A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically.? (p.99). John Steinbeck has a great talent for painting pictures, especially of the lake by the valley in the beginning of the book. He describes it beautifully, almost like the Garden of Eden. But here, towards the end of the novel, the paradise is lost. Just like the snake that caused the end of the Garden, the water snake glided through the water which had symbolised Lennie?s impending death. The heron quickly snatches the snake, removing its existence from the world quickly. Lennie, just like the snake, would be as unsuspecting as the trigger is pulled.
Sorry about the spoilers.
Check it out sometime.