Symbolism in Undertale

[Trashbag]

It's funny - I almost never hear people talk about the symbolism or metaphors in any form of media that isn't outrageously serious and complex. But Undertale seems to be rife with symbolism, especially some really...just...REALLY sad examples in the first world. Like the room with the six pits that have six beds of red leaves at the bottom? GEE, I WONDER WHAT THAT MEANS. And the tree in front of Toriel's house that says "Every time this old tree grows leaves, they fall right off?" And I'm sure we've all guessed what the red leaves are meant to represent. Just when you think this game is done making you cry, you discover all the little ways it tries to rip your soul apart... X'C

[Austellus]

Well, one minor little thing someone pointed out:

When he uses his special attacks, Sans' left eye glows. If you're a pacifist he closes his left eye to wink, on a genocide run he closes his right. If you're a pacifist, Undyne is wearing an eyepatch on her left eye, that comes off if you're a genocide path. What if anything this means I don't know, but it's neat.

[SKaREO]

♥

[brickey.8]

引用自 Hutch：

Well, one minor little thing someone pointed out:

When he uses his special attacks, Sans' left eye glows. If you're a pacifist he closes his left eye to wink, on a genocide run he closes his right. If you're a pacifist, Undyne is wearing an eyepatch on her left eye, that comes off if you're a genocide path. What if anything this means I don't know, but it's neat.

I saw someone comment about this in a blog post. They also noted that the Attack button is on the left and the Mercy button is on the right. And I just now realized that at the very beginning of the game, Flowey gives you a wink with its LEFT eye right before attacking you. I think there was one more piece of evidence too.

So yeah, I think it was meant to be a running theme in this game that violence is always on the left and mercy is on the right. Sans always closes his left eye (leaving the right open) when being jovial, and only ever closes his right eye when he's actually fighting (or about to fight) you. The fact that Undyne has her left eye covered might have been to be an indication that she's no so bad and can be reasoned with. And of course when you fight her Undying form the left eye is not just uncovered but glowing.

[sirjomb]

引用自 brickey.8：

引用自 Hutch：

Well, one minor little thing someone pointed out:

When he uses his special attacks, Sans' left eye glows. If you're a pacifist he closes his left eye to wink, on a genocide run he closes his right. If you're a pacifist, Undyne is wearing an eyepatch on her left eye, that comes off if you're a genocide path. What if anything this means I don't know, but it's neat.

I saw someone comment about this in a blog post. They also noted that the Attack button is on the left and the Mercy button is on the right. And I just now realized that at the very beginning of the game, Flowey gives you a wink with its LEFT eye right before attacking you. I think there was one more piece of evidence too.

So yeah, I think it was meant to be a running theme in this game that violence is always on the left and mercy is on the right. Sans always closes his left eye (leaving the right open) when being jovial, and only ever closes his right eye when he's actually fighting (or about to fight) you. The fact that Undyne has her left eye covered might have been to be an indication that she's no so bad and can be reasoned with. And of course when you fight her Undying form the left eye is not just uncovered but glowing.

To continue with this, when Asgore starts his fight, he pulls the spear out of his cape on his left side before smashing your Mercy button. When Sans throws you around during the fight also, he uses his left hand only.

[Trashbag]

Going back to the seven hearts topic I brought up, it seems it may be as simple as something like the seven sins. Like consider when your heart changes color. Purple would obviously represent greed, ala Muffet. Blue appears to represent Sloth, via Sans (I know that there's Papyrus, too, but it seems like Sans has a more direct and defined personality). Pride or envy could be associated with Mettaton, and Wrath would likely be Undyne. What bugs me is that you don't have any other forms, and I can't figure out why. I guess Cyan and Orange have representation in enemy attacks...

It was also brought to my attention that there is a correlation between the six children and the various equipment you find in the game, as can be seen by the respite sections of the battle with God Flowey. I hadn't noticed that they're all related to the equipment you find in the game. I can't remember what color heart is related to what equipment, but I'm sure that there's something to be found in that.

[Shiro]

引用自 sirjomb：

引用自 brickey.8：

I saw someone comment about this in a blog post. They also noted that the Attack button is on the left and the Mercy button is on the right. And I just now realized that at the very beginning of the game, Flowey gives you a wink with its LEFT eye right before attacking you. I think there was one more piece of evidence too.

So yeah, I think it was meant to be a running theme in this game that violence is always on the left and mercy is on the right. Sans always closes his left eye (leaving the right open) when being jovial, and only ever closes his right eye when he's actually fighting (or about to fight) you. The fact that Undyne has her left eye covered might have been to be an indication that she's no so bad and can be reasoned with. And of course when you fight her Undying form the left eye is not just uncovered but glowing.

To continue with this, when Asgore starts his fight, he pulls the spear out of his cape on his left side before smashing your Mercy button. When Sans throws you around during the fight also, he uses his left hand only.

Looking into that line of thinking, I found this wiki article that was probably an influence for the whole left/right thing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-hand_path_and_right-hand_path

Can't really find anything that leads-off from there in any meaningful way (in regards to Undertale), but it might be the influence behind why characters expressing violence tend to be left-focused (be it their eyes or their hands), while peaceful expressions tend to be right-handed.

[Shiro]

引用自 Atticus Zed：

It was also brought to my attention that there is a correlation between the six children and the various equipment you find in the game, as can be seen by the respite sections of the battle with God Flowey. I hadn't noticed that they're all related to the equipment you find in the game. I can't remember what color heart is related to what equipment, but I'm sure that there's something to be found in that.

http://undertale.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Human_Souls

[DarkLordGig]

引用自 Fusion：

Could we quit running cirlces around the leaf piles in the ruins and get to the meaty bits?
Such as the very nature of the game being an allegory for human curiosity.

I noticed that too myself ^^ I mean the only time really bad things happen are when you
Decide to go full on no mercy just to see what would happen!!!!

[Trashbag]

引用自 DarkLordGig：

引用自 Fusion：

Could we quit running cirlces around the leaf piles in the ruins and get to the meaty bits?
Such as the very nature of the game being an allegory for human curiosity.

I noticed that too myself ^^ I mean the only time really bad things happen are when you
Decide to go full on no mercy just to see what would happen!!!!

I've heard people say that the game is really harsh about guilt-tripping you and criticizing your for going down it's darker paths. The only thing I can think to say in response to that is "Gee, isn't it strange how when you start murdering people, people start treating you like a murderer."

I imagine most other people don't complain about it too much, but there are a few out there who says that ruins the experience for them.

[Trashbag]

I couldn't help but notice that while yellow usually represents mercy and red usually represents violence, Flowey is distinguished by his yellow color, just as Frisk is represented by a red heart. Perhaps this is nothing more than the foreshadowing that Flowey isn't truly pure evil, just as you could potentially be...

However, it could be that your red heart represents your free will, whereas Flowey - with his cutting remarks and harsh idealogy - ironically ends up being your moral counterbalance within the game. Which would personify the game's theme of "curiosity vs. compassion". It's just a theory, though...

[MPO]

True, true.

[!?!]

引用自 Fusion：

Could we quit running cirlces around the leaf piles in the ruins and get to the meaty bits?
Such as the very nature of the game being an allegory for human curiosity.

I know, right?
Every single element of the game, the all over the place soundtrack, the constantly shifting game mechanics, the inconsistent graphics, the tons over tons of hidden little things, the way it toys with your expectations, everything just oozes playfulness.
I bet those 6 leaf piles are also just there as part of an elaborate prank, just like sans giving you the key to his room to find out the "truth".

It's like the game is 2 steps ahead of you and it revels in that.

[Sir Schmoopy]

I like to think the reason the genocide run ends with chara and the pacifist ends with Asriel is because both of there souls live within Flowey but depending on your actions you envoke either one of there souls. Asriel is described to be loving and kind hearted, but Chara was the oposite. I also belive that is why the normal ending in which you kill and spare has Flowey remain Flowey

[ManlyMan]

You're overthinking this.

[PsychoDino]

引用自 Atticus Zed：

It's funny - I almost never hear people talk about the symbolism or metaphors in any form of media that isn't outrageously serious and complex. But Undertale seems to be rife with symbolism, especially some really...just...REALLY sad examples in the first world. Like the room with the six pits that have six beds of red leaves at the bottom? GEE, I WONDER WHAT THAT MEANS. And the tree in front of Toriel's house that says "Every time this old tree grows leaves, they fall right off?" And I'm sure we've all guessed what the red leaves are meant to represent. Just when you think this game is done making you cry, you discover all the little ways it tries to rip your soul apart... X'C

think you are reading into it too much OP