History Main / SymbolicDistance

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'': After Mulan makes a fool of herself at the war camp when attempting to fit in, her ostracization is symbolised through a far shot of the camp, showing her tent on the outskirts, far away from all the others.

* ''Literature/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades'': Episode 9 of the anime adaptation contains an overhead shot while the protagonists are discussing the relative merits of Miligan's offer to give them one of her old laboratories, where Oliver is separated from the rest of the group by a couple of paces, and standing in the shadow of a column while they're in full sunlight, while he mulls over the offer. It's symbolism for how his secrets and wildly divergent SeriesGoal subtly separate him from them.

* ''Literature/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades'': Episode 9 of the anime adaptation contains an overhead shot while the protagonists are discussing the relative merits of Miligan's offer to give them one of her old laboratories, where Oliver is separated from the rest of the group by a couple of paces while he mulls over the offer. It's symbolism for how his secrets and wildly divergent SeriesGoal subtly separate him from them.

* ''Film/CitizenKane'': One of the most famous examples, this trope is employed by Welles throughout the movie to symbolise [[AwfulWeddedLife Kane's emotional separation from his wife]], through usage of an [[TableSpace increasingly-long breakfast table]] (an effect achieved via clever camera-work). This separates him and his wife further and further. Towards the end of the movie, they are reading rival newspapers to really solidify their severance.

** The symbol of distance occurs when, after years apart, Gatsby and Daisy are reunited at Nick's house. Only, Gatsby cannot bring himself to be near her. They stand far away from each other at opposite ends of the extravagant room Gatsby set up, and they appear unable to get closer until Nick leaves the room, practically having to force them into their so-desired reunion.

** Arguably one of the most famous [[ArcSymbol symbols]] in literature, the green light represents the literal and emotional separation between Gatsby and Daisy. Gatsby will walk to the edge of his dock, and will literally 'reach out' his hand towards the pulsing light in the distance.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'' episode "After the Rain", Anne keeps her physical distance from Hop Pop for most of the episode because she's mad at him for [[spoiler:burying the music box and lying to her about it]]. When he gives an explanation for his actions ([[spoiler:he wanted to protect his family after losing Sprig and Polly's parents to a heron attack]]) and a sincere apology, he starts to close the distance by walking towards Anne but stops halfway. When she forgives him, she walks the rest of the way and hugs him, closing the physical and symbolic distance.

When writers want to symbolically represent strained relationships, they may take advantage of the setting and space them far away from each other. This generally involves two or more people physically separated from each other, the camera panning out to emphasise the RuleOfSymbolism by putting each at the edge of the screen. Earlier in the picture there may have been a contrasting shot with the characters close together, to throw in a little CallBack for the audience and illustrating further the purpose of the shot. They may be [[LongingLook looking back at each other longingly]], or one may be walking away as the other looks on in sadness. Either way, the shot is clearly used to tell the audience they are losing each other psychologically as well as literally.

** Episode 4 reveals that Takeda has romantic interest in Natsuki. We are shown the two of them talking to each other from opposite ends of the Crystal Dome, showing the enormous distance between them.
** After Mai gives Natsuki a pair of ModestyShorts when a PantyThief [[MonsterOfTheWeek Orphan]] forces her into a GoingCommando situation, Natsuki gives Mai and Mikoto a bit of an InfoDump about the [=HiME=] and the [[AncientConspiracy organization]] gathering them at the school. We're provided a shot from overhead of Mai and Mikoto lying together on the grass, while Natsuki is setting apart from them, using the length of her legs to keep her distance, clearly contrasting the two girls' opposing closeness.

* ''Literature/{{Trainspotting}}'': In the film adaptation, Liz and Tommy's already-strained relationship finally collapses after it looks like their homemade porn film has accidentally been returned to the video shop with Tommy's other rented tapes (In reality, it was pinched by Renton). We don't see the ensuing breakup, but it's illustrated by a scene in which the two ex-lovers are found standing in the street next morning, waiting for the bus with roughly ten feet between them -- [[SilentTreatment in total silence]], with Liz too disgusted to even look at Tommy.
* ''Film/UnFlic'': At the end of the movie Edouard and Cathy accidentally meet each other on a street, standing on the opposite sides of it. [[spoiler:They exchange a look and silently go separate ways, they know they cannot be together anymore, after they found out some harsh truths about each other]].

* Creator/TerryPratchett takes this to absurd levels in the Literature/{{Discworld}}. His parody of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', the ''Tale Of Ye Starre-Crossed Lovers, Mellius and Gretalina'', places the two lovers not only on different continents, but separated in time by two hundred years. (It was apparently a very intense romance).

** The symbol of distance occurs when, after years apart, Gatsby and Daisy are reunited at Nick's house. Only, Gatsby cannot bring himself to be near her. They stand far away from each other at opposite ends of the extravagant room Gatsby set up, and they are appear unable to get closer until Nick leaves the room, practically having to force them into their so-desired reunion.

* ''Series/MurdochMysteries'': TableSpace is used between Dr. Julia Ogden and her husband Dr. Darcy Garland is used to symbolise the emotional distance between them during their argument. Julia fights for women's rights to use contraceptives, which is illegal and threatens Darcy's possible promotion. At one previous scene, they were comfortably sitting very close on a sofa.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'' episode "After the Rain", Anne keeps her physical distance from Hop Pop for most of the episode because she's mad at him for [[spoiler:burying the music box and lying to her about it]]. When he gives an explanation for his actions ([[spoiler:he wanted to protect his family after losing Sprig and Polly's parents to a heron attack]]) and a sincere apology, he starts to close the distance by walking towards Anne, but stops halfway. When she forgives him, she walks the rest of the way and hugs him, closing the physical and symbolic distance.
* ''WesternAnimation/MoralOrel'': The AwfulWeddedLife of Clay and Bloberta is a major focus throughout the series. Their blatant emotional separation is the result of years of [[NoAccountingForTaste destructive behavior and hatred]], to the point they will not even look at each other unless they are fully-clothed (shoes included). "[[Recap/MoralOrelS3E1Numb Numb]]" showcases a divisive visual metaphor that serves as the page image for the episode, with Clay and Bloberta on separate beds with a [[SeparatedByTheWall wall between them]], looking miserable.

* The first opening of ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' starts with a shot that makes it look like Kaguya and Shirogane are staring face to face before the angle changes to reveal that they're actually several yards apart, making it clear that -while they might already be in love- they're a long ways away from actually getting together.

* ''Anime/YourName'': The poster employs this, showing the two main characters separated, trapped within their respective urban and country environments and looking longingly at each other. They spend the movie trying to reach each other. [[spoiler: As it turns out, this would end up having a layered meaning when we find out they are separated not just physically, but ''historically'' too]].

* ''WesternAnimation/Nimona2023'': During Nimona's climactic flashback, she and her human friend [[spoiler: Gloreth]] are almost inseparable even after the former's shapeshifting powers are revealed. So, when the little girl's parents force the two of them apart, resulting in the village being accidentally burned to the ground by [[TorchesAndPitchforks the angry mob]] they stirred up, the collapse of the friendship between Nimona and her friend is immediately demonstrated by the fact that the two of them are now eight feet apart. [[spoiler: Back in the present, Nimona is in a park several miles from the colossal statue of Gloreth at the heart of the city, driving home both the broken friendship ''and'' [[DespairEventHorizon Nimona's all-consuming loneliness]].]]

* ''Literature/{{Trainspotting}}'': In the film adaptation, Liz and Tommy's already-strained relationship finally collapses after it looks like their homemade porn film has accidentally been returned to the video shop with Tommy's other rented tapes (In reality, it was pinched by Renton). We don't see the ensuing breakup, but it's illustrated by a scene in which the two ex-lovers are found standing in the street next morning, waiting for the bus with roughly ten feet between them - [[SilentTreatment in total silence]], with Liz too disgusted to even look at Tommy.

** Occurs when Tommy is having his final screaming fit, having just learned [[spoiler: the deferrals were a lie and he and Kathy cannot be together for much longer]]. Kathy tries to go after him but the mud sucks her feet down, and for a time she can only watch him from afar on top of a hill, [[ConditionedToAcceptHorror contrastingly calm]]. Eventually she breaks the distance and holds him tight, as if "that was the only way to stop us being swept away into the night".

* ''Series/KamenRiderZeroOne'': The finale lacks an opening and instead adds a unique eyecatch early into the episode that depicts [[spoiler: Aruto and Horobi]] standing in a scorched hellscape with their backs to one another - symbolizing their current hatred toward each other...and the damage their fighting has the potential to cause.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'' episode "After the Rain", Anne keeps her physical distance from Hop Pop for most of the episode because she's mad at him for [[spoiler: burying the music box and lying to her about it]]. When he gives an explanation for his actions ([[spoiler: he wanted to protect his family after losing Sprig and Polly's parents to a heron attack]]) and a sincere apology, he starts to close the distance by walking towards Anne, but stops halfway. When she forgives him, she walks the rest of the way and hugs him, closing the physical and symbolic distance.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]