Why do some pony cutie marks have several items, and some only one?

[FinalGamer 192]

So my ex-boyfriend asked me this last night. He's been watching some episode of MLP with his now-brony girlfriend. Now he's totally cool with MLP and he thinks it's a good show, but he has no intentions on becoming a brony. I'm okay with this :3

 

BUT...he did pose me a very interesting question to me last night.

 

"Why do some ponies like Rarity and Fluttershy have several of the same thing for their cutie marks, but those like Twilight and Big Mac have one single HUGE thing for their cutie mark?"

 

I admit, I...actually didn't know how to answer that. My best explanation was that it's a leftover from previous generations, such as Fluttershy's cutie mark being from Posey's.

 

But I'd love if anyone here could give a better explaination for me to tell him. Any takers?

[NavelColt 22,876]

Depends on the item/what the picture is, to me. Rarity's is gems. But she doesn't deal with just one gem, she's all about lots of gems in her designs and such. Same with AJ. She doesn't pick just one apple, she does many. Fluttershy deals with all sorts of animals/butterflies, not just one. And Pinkie goes all out with lots of parties, not just one. However, Twilight only needs one spark of magic to represent her overall knowledge of it, and Dash's singular lightning rainbow bolt is all that is needed for her.

 

*shrug* In the end you can throw it up to designer's choice I suppose, for variety.

[Discovery Dream 592]

Meh, I always thought it was just what worked best with the pony's design, with no particular reason other than aesthetics.

[LoveSparkle 12]

I think it just because its just like that. No explanation needed and if you want an explanation i think chaotic discord is correct.

[Thunderstorm 120]

Everypony is different. I don't think it really matters much, I mean so what if Applejack has three apples and Big Mac only has one? It's just uniqueness.

[Scrunchy Hooves 9]

I think it's because only one butterfly/gem wouldn't look as good as 3 do, and Big Mac is known for his strenght, so he needs a big apple to represent him... It's what I always thought, but maybe I'm wrong. We have to ask the creators I guess!

[Acoustic Cloud 2,202]

No reason, usually it has more meaning to the particular theme of their skill not anything more than that.