History Main / StockMonsterSymbolism

* Anxiety about death - robots can't be killed due to not really being alive and tend to invoke the UncannyValley (the lowest point on which is an animated corpse).

!! [[Film/InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers The Body Snatchers]] and similar

* VampiresAreSexGods

* The meaning of human consciousness, humanity or the soul. In stories like this, robots are often depicted as being essentially 'human' and with consciousness but condemned to be treated as a 'thing' due to their artificial minds. They may be fighting to gain the rights of being recognised as human, which can be read as a metaphor for civil rights movements.

** First appeared in Creator/PeterBeagle's short story, "Lila the Werewolf". Later used by Creator/AlanMoore in ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' and Creator/JossWhedon in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', as well as a direct connection in ''Film/GingerSnaps''.

** Used by Creator/AlanMoore in ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' and Creator/JossWhedon in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', as well as a direct connection in ''Film/GingerSnaps''.

* {{Greed}}

!! [[InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers The Body Snatchers]] and similar

** Literature/HarryPotter (according to {{Word of God}}, although the evil werewolf Fenrir Greyback gives off hints of Pedophilia as well).

** Franchise/{{Godzilla}} has basically been all of the above at some point. He started out as a metaphor for the devastation of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. ''Film/GodzillaMothraKingGhidorahGiantMonstersAllOutAttack'' has him being the collective manifestation of the souls of those who lost their lives during Japan's Pacific campaign in WorldWarII. ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'' gives him a GaiasVengeance characterization on top of being a radioactive mutation.

* Anti-military aesops. Almost always military might will fail miserably and just waste everyone's time, and often it's the fault of the military that the Kaiju are there in the first place.

* Slavery - the word 'robot' is derived from the Czech for 'slave' - or workers in general, which also makes them useful for talking about Communism. 'Robot revolution' stories - whether the story was on the revolution's side or not - were especially common in the early half of the 20th century, but fell out of fashion once revolutions stopped seeming likely and the ColdWar began. RedScare stories featuring robots in this era will often suggest they are disguised perfectly as humans, hiding amongst humans and spreading evil robot ideas. Even fairly apolitical robot stories tend to depict them as 'lowly' characters compared to the humans due to their life of drudgery, which sometimes allows them to be {{Servile Snarker}}s or even [[TheButlerDidIt so beneath notice as to be able to commit murder...]]

** Film/TheWolfman1941

* Foreignness and other cultures.
* [[FiveRaces High Men]] and [[ClarkesThirdLaw Gods]], interfering with humanity under higher rules.

* Dependence on technology and possessions - the idea that a possession, in some way, owns its owner.

* Slavery - the word 'robot' is derived from the Czech for 'slave' - or workers in general, which also makes them useful for talking about Communism. 'Robot revolution' stories - whether a good or bad idea - were especially common in the early half of the 20th century, but fell out of fashion once revolutions stopped seeming likely and the ColdWar began. RedScare stories featuring robots in this era will often suggest they are disguised perfectly as humans, hiding amongst humans and spreading evil robot ideas. Even fairly apolitical robot stories tend to depict them as 'lowly' characters compared to the humans due to their life of drudgery, which sometimes allows them to be {{Servile Snarker}}s or even [[TheButlerDidIt so beneath notice as to be able to commit murder...]]

* Slavery - the word 'robot' is derived from the Czech for 'slave' - or workers in general, which also makes them useful for talking about Communism. 'Robot revolution' stories - whether a good or bad idea - were especially common in the early half of the 20th century, but fell out of fashion once revolutions stopped seeming likely and the ColdWar began. RedScare stories featuring robots in this era will often suggest they are disguised perfectly as humans, hiding amongst humans and spreading evil robot ideas. Even fairly apolitical robot stories tend to depict them as 'lowly' characters compared to the humans due to their life of drudgery, which sometimes allows them to be ServileSnarkers or even [[TheButlerDidIt so beneath notice as to be able to commit murder...]]

** Used by Creator/AlanMoore in 'ComicBook/'SwampThing'' and Creator/JossWhedon in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', as well as a direct connection in ''Film/GingerSnaps''.

** Used by Creator/AlanMoore in ''SwampThing'' and Creator/JossWhedon in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', as well as a direct connection in ''Film/GingerSnaps''.

** ''Tintin in Tibet'' ends with the hero saying he hopes humans never catch the Yeti, because they'd only put it in a zoo."I hope they never do catch the Yeti, because they'd only put it in a zoo.