History Main / WorldOfSymbolism

* Norton Juster's ''ThePhantomTollbooth'' has the tollbooth leading to a world of pure allegory and language come to life. There might be magic involved with the tollbooth itself (it's not made clear), but once Milo crosses it, he's off to places like the island of Conclusions (that you arrive at only by [[IncrediblyLamePun jumping]]) with characters named Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason.

* Norton Juster's ''ThePhantomTollbooth'' has the tollbooth leading to a world of pure allegory and language come to life. There might be magic involved with the tollbooth itself (it's not made clear), but once Milo crosses it, he's off to places like the Island of Conclusion with characters named Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason.

* [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page531.html This]] ''Webcomic/{{Subnormality}}'' strip is a symbolic take on "[[IncrediblyLamePun the human race]]."

* ''[[AngelsEgg Angel's Egg]]'' is basically a visual poem with no real plot or characters; they are all simply symbols taking part in a huge visual metaphor. What it stands for? [[MindScrew Well, it has something to do with]] [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory Christianity]]

* {{Pandorum}} does this on a high level with themes relating to Grec-Roman and Christian folklore.

* [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page531.html This]] ''SubNormality'' strip is a symbolic take on "[[IncrediblyLamePun the human race]]."

* ''AxisPowersHetalia'' involves anthropomorphic embodiments of 20th century nations living lives that reflect major events in each one's history, initially focusing on WorldWar2 but eventually moving both forward and backward through history. There are some vague attempts every now and then to flesh out the setting into a more literal, realistic context, but ironically, they only make things ''more'' confusing.

* ''{{Sandman}}'' operates more on a metaphorical level then on a literal one, to the extent that the physical reality can be said to be an extension of metaphors.

->"Everything represents, nothing is."
->--Ingmar Bergman, from ''The Magician''

* Lars von Trier's ''{{Antichrist}}'' also works on this level. Critical discussions on it range the topics of love and hate, order versus chaos and the nature of guilt. Questions about precisely where the talking fox and the tree with hands came from are a different matter.

** Though honestly, it still makes more sense when you assume it's all abunch of nonsense slapped together. The Manual almost seems like a secondary attempt to screwdrive all the insanity together. And rather poorly, depending on your interpretation.

-> '''Susan''': "''Aslan, You're alive! How did that happen? ''"
->'''Aslan''': "''Because I'm Jesus''"
-> --ChroniclesOfNarnia, [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/5-second-movies/121-chronicles-of-naria in 5 seconds]].

->"Everything represents, nothing is."
->--Ingmar Bergman, from ''The Magician''

See also RuleOfSymbolism, which is what happens when an otherwise realistic story relies on a momentary suspension of disbelief in the name of symbolism, and RuleOfCool, which does make the same thing for the sake of awesomeness.

* Apparently 12Oz.Mouse fits this trope.

* Apparently 12OzMouse fits this trope.

* ''RuleOfRose'' is arguably [[spoiler:AllJustADream]], but either way, the game's got symbolism coming out its ears.

This is often an '''EndingTrope''', so beware the spoilers!

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