AVN awards as a symbol for sexual immorality
Although it is a seemingly obvious metaphor, Wallace does a good job of never overtly criticizing the American relationship to pornography, so the overt metaphor is still very effective. There seems to be an underspoken criticism against pornography and its users, urging people to seek a more honest, healthy sexuality.
The motif of poor artistry in contemporary writing
Instead of writing a philosophical treatise against contemporary art and heralding more meaningful eras, Wallace keeps an airtight criticism of current literature, both fiction, non-fiction and autobiography. If the reader interprets each, Wallace's true view of art emerges. This motif occurs in at least five essays as a core issue (The Kafka one, the Dostoevsky one, the Tracy Austin one, "Host," and the one about Updike).
The lobster as a symbol for modern ethical debates in America
The issue of the lobster concerns whether the lobster is suffering when boiled alive. The use of this argument as the central argument of the essay draws out ironies in how terribly we will treat each other when we disagree on the ethical treatment of a lobster. The analogy showcases how immoral our arguments about morality have become.
The endowment of male pornstars as a symbol for the danger of pornography
When used for escape, pornography can accidentally create a sense of inadequacy in the mind of the viewer, which Wallace explores artistically by drawing attention to the fact that when he was forced to view naked pornstars, he immediately felt unsure and anxious about his own body. This showcases the serious dangers of a person exploring sexual desire without actually engaging their actual self or body.
"Fellow Church Members" as an analogy for American conservativism
Wallace drew a lot of attention for mentioning 'fellow' church members in the Mrs. Thompson essay, because many likely believed Wallace was not religious, but in fact, much of Wallace's personal life involved his relationship to religion, which indeed remains largely a mystery.
However, this is likely an artistic strategy for saying indirectly that what he is about to say about his church members is actually analogous to the difficult criticisms he has for those who are conservative, but he wants to remind the audience that he is not excluding himself from the criticism.
Remember that the subject of this essay is the social and political response in the American heartlands to the propaganda following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This allegorical account is like Wallace saying, "Hey, I know we're all scared. I'm scared too, but we can't just let them tell us anything. We're being manipulated."
