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10[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/YuruYuri https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_yuruyuri111_1404.jpg]]]]
11[[caption-width-right:350:Who would win in a fight between a [[RedOniBlueOni blue mongoose and a red snake]]?]]
12->''"Ah, the Animal Kingdom offers many useful ideas!"''
13-->-- '''Dr. Otto Octavius''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'', "The Invisible Hand"
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15Humans have always been fascinated by animals. Love them or hate them, they usually provoke a strong reaction in people, from the {{Jerkass}} who [[CutenessProximity turns to mush when confronted by a playful puppy]] to the tough guy who [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes freaks out when he encounters something slithery]]. Most mythologies feature animals in starring roles; some belief systems feature animals as guides, oracles, or totems representing certain qualities or certain people. So of course animals are going to turn up as symbols in popular media.
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17This animal isn't around to be {{pet|TheDog}}ted or {{kick|TheDog}}ed, or [[RightHandCat to assist in taking over the world...]] well, it might be, but only as a side job. The real purpose of these animals is that of most motifs: they're there to underline a theme, or make a statement about a certain character. They might not even be physically present at all. The "animal" might be the name of a football team, a charm on a bracelet, or an ornament on the mantelpiece.
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19Animals are used to depict characters more often than they describe themes. Even in the real world, describing a person by comparing them to an animal is a good way to convey your opinion of them: phrases such as "lion-hearted", "eagle-eyed", or "[[YouDirtyRat doity rat]]" are popular to the point of cliché. Therefore, many Animal Motifs are also CharacterizationTropes. The wimp who spends his time watching the tigers at the zoo will most likely be stronger than you think. As for the girl doodling big black spiders [[BlackWidow with suspicious red hourglasses on their underbellies]]... think twice before accepting her invitation to "coffee".
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21Animals, like {{flower|Motifs}}s, are a motif that tends to be gendered. Men are usually compared to animals that are clearly predatory: wolves, lions, and bears, for example. Women generally get the cute and fluffy animals as motifs, such as bunnies. However, women have historically had a strong association with the cat which, while cuddly and furry, is also a predator. Cats are therefore a common motif for female characters, but one aspect of the feline mystique will most likely be emphasized over the others -- the woman will either be a predator, [[SexyCatPerson a seductress]], or a sweet little kitten. (Lionesses are especially popular for {{Action Girl}}s: they look very different from male lions, and most people know it's lionesses who do the hunting, so a lioness motif conveniently emphasizes both femininity and ferocity.) Women are also frequently associated with foxes, also a predatory animal, although it is the fox's attractive nature or reputation as a trickster that is being invoked.
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23Some animals can be used as a motif for either sex but the sex of that character can affect the image of the invoked animal: For example, horses are usually associated with women or little girls as a reflection of their innocent and supportive side. For men and the elderly, [[VirileStallion the horse is a symbol of their virility]], [[DiligentDraftAnimal work ethic]], and determination. Bears are another example: If they are a man, then they either physically resemble [[TheBear a bear]], or [[BearsAreBadNews they are as strong and brutal as one]]. If the motif is given to a woman: then they are characterized as [[BearyFriendly sweet and innocent]] until [[MamaBear someone harms or upsets their children]] whereupon they will bring hell on Earth to protect them.
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25The important thing is that motif should correlate with the character and be displayed appropriately; for example, a [[ThreateningShark shark motif]] would indicate the character is either; [[VillainProtagonist a villain]], a [[LoanShark greedy moneylender]], or [[BloodKnight a combative]], [[SociopathicHero sociopathic antihero]]. Therefore, a shark motif wouldn't apply to an [[AllLovingHero altruistic]], [[FunPersonified cheerful]] [[TheParagon paragon]] who favors [[{{Forgiveness}} clemency]] over [[MurderIsTheBestSolution brutality]]. [[note]]Since in reality, sharks killing humans are extremely rare, it is entirely possible to apply tropes like NotEvilJustMisunderstood here, or DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength since many attacks are merely "test bites" where the shark is not attempting to eat the target, only to figure out what it is, not having hands and all. Many sharks pose no risk at all to humans, including the largest sharks like the [[GentleGiant whale shark]]. However, given the commonness of ThreateningShark as a trope, this would be a subversion, like the opposite of DeviousDolphins.[[/note]] The motif must make sense to the character and allow the audience to understand the story you want to tell, if you use the wrong motif for the character then the audience won't know [[EvilHero who to root for in the story]].
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27In the world of fiction, someone who doesn't like animals at all is either a nasty piece of work or obsessively clean and germ-phobic. "Animal hater" is the word for them and so to dilute the "hard-heartedness" of this character, expect to see one particular animal that they just can't resist.[[note]][[RightHandCat For]] [[CatsAreMean some]] [[CatsAreSuperior reason]], this animal has a tendency to be cats.[[/note]]
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29And if the character themself is an animal, then there might be the possibility that they have yet ''another'' animal that also represents them.
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31Usually overlaps with AnimalStereotypes and NationalAnimalStereotypes. In such cases, it's commonly a SuperTrope of TransformationConventions (the object or being a character transforms into fits their personality). WildlifeCommentarySpoof is this trope [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] and PlayedForLaughs.
32----
33!!A SuperTrope to the following sub-tropes:
34[[index]]
35* AnimalMetaphor
36* AnimalMotifTeam
37* AnimalThemeNaming
38** ColorAnimalCodename
39* AnimalThemedFightingStyle
40* AnimalThemedSuperbeing
41* ArachnidAppearanceAndAttire
42* CagedBirdMetaphor
43* MythicalMotifs
44* PolicePig
45* PostApocalypticDog
46[[/index]]
47----
48!!Example subpages:
49
50[[index]]
51* AnimalMotifs/AnimeAndManga
52* AnimalMotifs/ComicBooks
53* AnimalMotifs/FanWorks
54* [[AnimalMotifs/{{Film}} Films]]
55* AnimalMotifs/{{Literature}}
56* AnimalMotifs/LiveActionTV
57** ''AnimalMotifs/GameOfThrones''
58* AnimalMotifs/{{Music}}
59* AnimalMotifs/{{Mythology}}
60* AnimalMotifs/ProfessionalWrestling
61* AnimalMotifs/TabletopGames
62* AnimalMotifs/VideoGames
63* AnimalMotifs/VisualNovels
64* AnimalMotifs/{{Webcomics}}
65* AnimalMotifs/WesternAnimation
66* AnimalMotifs/OtherMedia
67* AnimalMotifs/RealLife
68[[/index]]
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