History Main / TheSonsAndTheSpears

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "The Smurfs' Time Capsule", Papa Smurf has Hefty gather a bundle of sticks due to the riddle in the time capsule saying "A stick by itself is too weak; it's sticks in a bundle you seek". With the stick, Papa Smurf has Hefty break one of the sticks, then try to break the whole bundle at once. When Hefty finds out that he can't, Papa Smurf discovers the meaning behind the riddle, that in the unity of the Smurfs there is strength to resist.

* Adam Susan in ''Comicbook/VForVendetta'' makes reference to this when mentally justifying the Fascist dictatorship he has forced upon the British - as one arrow will snap easily but a bundle will not, the survival of Britain as a whole must always come before the rights and freedoms of individual citizens.

* The Roman ''fasces'', a bundle of reeds, draws on the same symbolism (one reed breaks, a bundle doesn't). (The widely-known variant with the axe inside wasn't strictly required, and indeed the blade had to be removed in certain parts of Rome.) These ''fasces'' were carried by the Lictors, consular bodyguards. This had a peculiar impact later on: On one hand, the association of Rome with [[TheRomanRepublic republicanism]] and its embodiment of a republican principle (that the people together are stronger) led various modern Western republics (including France and the United States) to adopt the fasces as a symbol of republican (as opposed to monarchical) values; many of these symbols remain today (including the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_emblem_of_France French national emblem]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_the_United_States_Senate Seal of the US Senate]], and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mace_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives Mace of the US House of Representatives]].[[note]]It also shows up subtly in the Lincoln Memorial: look at the arms on Uncle Abe's chair.[[/note]] On the other hand, it is also the origin of the word 'fascism', an ideology that puts a lot of emphasis on enforced unity.

* ''Film/{{Together}}'' is set in a Stockholm commune where cooked porridge is served on a regular basis for economical reasons, much to the kids' dismay. Goeran tries to sugarcoat the meal to them by comparing the porridge to commune life:

This is, as said, an old story, and various versions exists. It is also one that is relatively often referenced in various media:

* ''Film/{{Together}} is set in a Stockholm commune where cooked porridge is served on a regular basis for economical reasons, much to the kids' dismay. Goeran tries to sugarcoat the meal to them by comparing the porridge to commune life:

* Try the metaphor for yourself. A group of sticks working together is indeed far harder to break than a single one of the same type.

->''Individually we are weak, like a single twig, but as a bundle we form [[HaveAGayOldTime a mighty faggot]].''

* The Motonari Mori example mentioned in Folk Lore above gets PlayedForLaughs in ''SamuraiWarriors 3'' when he tries it on the Tachibana, only to have Ginchiyo grab them and break them as well with little effort. Motonari continues to explain, but Muneshige tell him his wife is just being intentionally belligerent.

* ''SouseiNoAquarion'' mentions the Japanese version by name.

* ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' uses a variation with pieces of grain. Hopper, the grasshopper villain, tosses a seed at a henchman, saying "Let's pretend this grain is a puny little ant." It bounces off the mook's chest, and he's fine, because grasshoppers are much bigger than ants. Next, Hopper triggers a slide of grain onto another henchman, crushing him, to demonstrate the power ants have in groups. Given that the film is a loose adaptation of Kurosawa's ''SevenSamurai'', this is probably a ShoutOut to ''Ran''.

* ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' uses a variation with pieces of grain. Hopper, the grasshopper villain, tosses a seed at a henchman, saying "Let's pretend this grain is a puny little ant." It bounces off the mook's chest, and he's fine, because grasshoppers are much bigger than ants. Next, Hopper triggers a slide of grain onto another henchman, crushing him, to demonstrate the power ants have in groups. Given that the film is a loose adaptation of Kurosawa's ''SevenSamurai'', this is probably a ShoutOut to ''Ran'', above.

[[folder:Film]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'', Elenor illustrates the point to Merida with the story of the four brothers. A king left his kingdom to his four sons to rule together. She sets up a chessboard supported by four pieces to represent the four brothers holding up the kingdom. When one brother became greedy and sowed discord and fought with his brothers, the kingdom fell. She knocks one of the pieces out and the entire board falls over.

* ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' uses a variation with pieces of grain. Hopper, the grasshopper villain, tosses a seed at a henchman, saying "Let's pretend this grain is a puny little ant." It bounces off the mook's chest, and he's fine, because grasshoppers are much bigger than ants. Next, Hopper triggers a slide of grain onto another henchman, crushing him, to demonstrate the power ants have in groups. Given that the film is a loose adaptation of Kurosawa's ''SevenSamurai'', this is probably a ShoutOut to ''Ran'', above.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* The Roman ''fasces'', a bundle of reeds, draws on the same symbolism (one reed breaks, a bundle doesn't). (The widely-known variant with the axe inside wasn't strictly required, and indeed the blade had to be removed in certain parts of Rome.) These ''fasces'' were carried by the Lictors, consular bodyguards. This had a peculiar impact later on: On one hand, the association of Rome with [[TheRomanRepublic republicanism]] and its embodiment of a republican principle (that the people together are stronger) led various modern Western republics (including France and the United States) to adopt the fasces as a symbol of republican (as opposed to monarchical) values; many of these symbols remain today (including the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_emblem_of_France French national emblem]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_the_United_States_Senate Seal of the US Senate]], and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mace_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives Mace of the US House of Representatives]].[[note]]It also shows up subtly in the Lincoln Memorial: look at the arms on Uncle Abe's chair.[[/note]] On the other hand, it is also the origin of the word 'fascism', an ideology that puts a lot of emphasis on enforced unity.
* One etymology has the name of the Hungarian confederation (originally seven Magyar and three Turkic tribes) as the "Ten Arrows" ("An Ogur") for similar reasons.
* Try the metaphor for yourself. A group of sticks working together is indeed far harder to break than a single one of the same type.
[[/folder]]

* ''RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes''. The Roman usage of this trope (see below under RealLife) makes the name 'Caesar' a very [[MeaningfulName meaningful one]].

--> '''Maurice:''' *signing* [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Apes stupid.]]
* Used as a metaphor for family in David Lynch's ''TheStraightStory'', with Alvin convincing a pregnant teenage runaway to go back home to her family, who will eventually understand. Within Alvin's own narrative, it reinforces his plot-driving need to reconnect with his estranged brother.
* Done in ''RedCliff'', by Zhou Yu with a handful of reeds intended to be woven into footwear, using the resulting strength of woven sandals as a metaphor for Shu and Wu banding together against Cao Cao's forces.
* In ''{{Brave}}'', Elenor illustrates the point to Merida with the story of the four brothers. A king left his kingdom to his four sons to rule together. She sets up a chessboard supported by four pieces to represent the four brothers holding up the kingdom. When one brother became greedy and sowed discord and fought with his brothers, the kingdom fell. She knocks one of the pieces out and the entire board falls over.

* In ''TheMummyTheAnimatedSeries'', Alex is training with some other Medjai and they're given a bundle of arrows and told to break it, which none of them can. This does not work; a JerkJock keeps setting Alex up to fail training exercises until a real problem comes up and they become FireForgedFriends.

* ''TheSimpsons'' in "The Haw-Hawed Couple".
* ''ABugsLife'' uses a variation with pieces of grain. Hopper, the grasshopper villain, tosses a seed at a henchman, saying "Let's pretend this grain is a puny little ant." It bounces off the mook's chest, and he's fine, because grasshoppers are much bigger than ants. Next, Hopper triggers a slide of grain onto another henchman, crushing him, to demonstrate the power ants have in groups. Given that the film is a loose adaptation of Kurosawa's ''SevenSamurai'', this is probably a ShoutOut to ''Ran'', above.

* [[Literature/TheBible Ecclesiastes 4:12]] - Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

* The Roman ''fasces'', a bundle of reeds, draws on the same symbolism (one reed breaks, a bundle doesn't). (The widely-known variant with the axe inside wasn't strictly required, and indeed the blade had to be removed in certain parts of Rome.) These ''fasces'' were carried by the Lictors, consular bodyguards. This had a peculiar impact later on: On one hand, the association of Rome with [[TheRomanRepublic republicanism]] and its embodiment of a republican principle (that the people together are stronger) led various modern Western republics (including France and the United States) to adopt the fasces as a symbol of republican (as opposed to monarchical) values; many of these symbols remain today (including the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_France French national emblem]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_the_United_States_Senate Seal of the US Senate]], and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mace_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives Mace of the US House of Representatives]].[[note]]It also shows up subtly in the Lincoln Memorial: look at the arms on Uncle Abe's chair.[[/note]] On the other hand, it is also the origin of the word 'fascism', an ideology that puts a lot of emphasis on enforced unity.

* The Roman ''fasces'', a bundle of reeds, draws on the same symbolism (one reed breaks, a bundle doesn't). (The widely-known variant with the axe inside wasn't strictly required, and indeed the blade had to be removed in certain parts of Rome.) These ''fasces'' were carried by the Lictors, consular bodyguards. This had a peculiar impact later on: On one hand, the association of Rome with [[TheRomanRepublic republicanism]] and its embodiment of a republican principle (that the people together are stronger) led various modern Western republics (including France and the United States) to adopt the fasces as a symbol of republican (as opposed to monarchical) values; many of these symbols remain today (including the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/Coat_of_arms_of_France French national emblem]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/Seal_of_the_United_States_Senate Seal of the US Senate]], and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/Mace_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives Mace of the US House of Representatives]].[[note]]It also shows up subtly in the Lincoln Memorial: look at the arms on Uncle Abe's chair.[[/note]] On the other hand, it is also the origin of the word 'fascism', an ideology that puts a lot of emphasis on enforced unity.

* The Roman ''fasces'', a bundle of sticks tied around an axe, draws on the same symbolism. These ''fasces'' were carried by the Lictors, consular bodyguards. It is the origin of the word 'fascism', an ideology that puts a lot of emphasis on enforced unity.

* ''RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'':

* Used as a metaphor for family in David Lynch's ''TheStraightStory'' for the importance of family.

* Used as a metaphor for family in David Lynch's ''TheStraightStory''.

* The Roman ''fasces'', a bundle of sticks tied around an axe, draws on the same symbolism. These ''fasces'' were carried by the Lictors, consular bodyguards. It is the origin of the word fascism.