Childhood
Stephen King attaches certain imagery to childhood in the text. The novel is about the journey of the main characters from childhood to adulthood, as they navigate the corruption and evil that exists in the world around them. As such, the text is ultimately about maturity and growth. The image of the boat is used as a symbol of childhood in the text, as it is what George plays with before he is killed. The fact Pennywise steals George's boat represents the fact that he has taken away George's childhood. For Bill, the boat becomes a symbol of the connection he had with his little brother, and even into adulthood, it reminds him of his childhood. However, the boat also represents Bill's first encounter with grief and loss, which is a key part of his growth as a character.
Clowns
Clowns are often symbols of innocence and childhood, appearing at children's birthday parties. However, King subverts our expectations of clowns in his creation of the ironic Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Pennywise is described with the typical imagery of a clown, including a colorful clown suit, white gloves and is often seen holding balloons. These images of joy and innocence are entirely subverted by the clown's monstrous actions.
Evil
Pennywise is the personification of evil in this novel and is described accordingly. In one description, King emphasizes Pennywise's horrific appearance: "It was deeply lined, the skin a parchment map of wrinkles, tattered cheeks, arid flesh. The skin of its forehead was split but bloodless. Dead lips grinned back from a maw in which teeth leaned like tombstones. Its gums were pitted and black. Ben could see no eyes, but something glittered far back in the charcoal pits of those puckered sockets, something like the cold jewels in the eyes of the Egyptian scarab beetles." Associating Pennywise with the imagery of horror, including tombstones, darkness and scarab beetles, connects Pennywise with the presence of evil.
