Look the part
The main character points out how important it was to look "bad’’ in order to be respected by those around them. To make themselves be feared by the others, the children used to dress in torn up clothes and pretend to be haggard just to strike fear in the hearts of those who saw them.
The greasy lake
One of the most important images is that of the greasy lake, a place that was supposed to be an oasis of nature but in reality it was anything but that. The greasy lake is described as being a very polluted place, with murky waters and an island that in a short period of time became the perfect place for the teenaged rebellious children in the town to get away and express their rebellious side through drinking, a promiscuous behavior and drugs. Thus, the greasy lake is anything but a natural place where a person can get in touch with nature.
Comic children
After the Bad man comes from the car, he starts attacking the children without mercy. In an attempt to protect themselves, the children try to beat the man using their fists and whatever they can get their hands on. The image portrayed here is that of a group of children trying without any success to fend off their attackers. Thus, the children are portrayed here in a comical way, and not in the way they wanted to be perceived by their peers.
Like a balloon
When the narrator hits the Bad Character over the head with a tire iron, he falls almost immediately on the ground, apparently lifeless. The narrator described the event as striking a balloon and then watching it deflate at a slow pace. The image is important because it shows that even though the teenagers thought that the Bad Character was an extremely dangerous person, he was rendered unconscious quickly by a group of scared teenage boys.
