The use of metaphors and symbolism is a prominent theme across the podcast episodes provided, as the authors and hosts leverage these techniques to explore deeper meanings and emotional resonances.

In the NPR Book of the Day episode featuring Leo Vardiashvili's novel 'Hard by a Great Forest', the escaped zoo animals are described as a symbolic representation of the characters' experiences as refugees. Similarly, the museum in the MrCreepyPasta episode A Guided Tour of the Habitsville Heart Museum can be interpreted as a metaphor for the darker aspects of human nature.

The Way I Heard It episode Pulling the Pin with Steven Pressfield also frequently employs metaphorical and symbolic language to discuss the creative process and the tension between inspiration and resistance.