Clyde's gun (Symbol)
Clyde's gun takes on different significance at different points in the film. At the beginning, the fact that Clyde has a gun indicates that he is acquainted with danger and lives on the edge. It shows that he isn't afraid to resort to violence if need be. At one point, however, it takes on an even greater symbolic value, when Bonnie begins stroking it. Here, it becomes a clear phallic symbol, representing Clyde's wily and aggressive sexuality. This symbol is a somewhat ironic one, because while Clyde has an aggressive sexuality and masculinity, we learn that he is impotent, and unable to perform sexually.
Banjo music (Motif)
Every time the group makes a quick getaway, a rousing chorus of banjo music, a song called "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," begins to play. The music is quick and light-hearted, and even when the plot has been dramatic, the folksy plucking lends the proceedings a comic and adventurous air. The motif of the music signals to the audience that to Bonnie and Clyde and their compatriots, crime is all a matter of fun and games. It gives the film a lilting sense of suspense and fun, as well as orienting the viewer in the American South.
Buck's joke (Motif)
Buck tells the same joke several times in the movie, first to the Barrow gang, and then to Eugene and Velma once they are in the car. The joke is a long-winded and not particularly funny one about someone mixing brandy in with the milk of a cow and giving it to their mother, who likes it more and more the more brandy it contains. The motif of the joke shows that Buck is a slap-happy, somewhat oblivious man who just wants to have a good time. He is not a blood-thirsty criminal, but a joke-spewing good time guy.
Bonnie's writing (Motif)
Bonnie is a writer, and in between bank robberies, she writes stories in a journal. Then, at the end of the film, she writes a poem about her adventures with Clyde, which gets published in the paper. Bonnie's interest in writing is a motif in the film and it contrasts starkly with her image as a cool and violent criminal. She might be a good shot and an intimidating woman, but her true dream is to write, and her writing belies a sensitivity that isn't immediately evident in her day-to-day life.
Blanche's Blindness (Symbol)
In one of the shootouts with the cops, Blanche is shot in the eyes and permanently blinded. Throughout their exploits, Blanche has been the least keen on the group's criminal activity, and this loss of sight represents the ways that she has lost a grip on the life she thought she wanted. A preacher's daughter, she did not think that in marrying Buck Barrow she would end up wanted by the law, but things get away from her and she becomes embroiled in the Barrow gang's plight. Her physical blinding represents a more psychological blindness, and symbolizes the sacrifices she has been forced to make.
