Beets
Seer keeps telling Matty to eat his beets, even though the young man has become sick of them already. Beets are considered a symbol of love, which indicates that Seer wants Matty to develop his compassion and love for others.
Books
The books in Leader's house and the library are a symbol of knowledge. Unlike in his previous community, where the government was hiding information from its people, Leader allows Matty to freely browse his books, which means he encourages his people to gain knowledge.
Birthmark
Mentor's birthmark is a symbol of impurity and identity. Where Matty came from, "people were put to death for less," which indicates a society which does not tolerate impurities. Eventually, at the trade mart Mentor trades his identity for a better look, which is the beginning of the community's decline.
Trade Mart
The Trade Mart symbolizes the people's greed and selfishness. For example, Mentor, a formerly considerate person, now pushes people aside to be the first one to trade. Wanting to be loved, he is ironically willing to lose his altruistic qualities.
Forest
The forest symbolizes the dangerous effects of the villagers' growing selfishness. Mirroring the efforts of the villagers, it starts to entangle them; some are even killed in it. Only with Matty's ultimate sacrifice, spreading his altruistic attitude to everyone, could it be overcome.
