Grocer's Sign
Snyder references a parable in Vaclav Havel's essay "The Power of the Powerless" of a grocer who put a sign in his window saying "Workers of the world, unite!" (36) that was meant to signify to the communists that he bought into what they wanted him to buy into and thus should leave him alone. This sign signifies his withdrawal "into daily life without trouble from the authorities" (36) but means giving into the game.
Death Camps
Snyder writes about how Germans remember Auschwitz and the "mechanized impersonal death" (49) of the camps, of how Germans can claim that they did not know what was going on behind the gates. This image of gates separating the camp from the rest of the world shows how Germans can proceed without a disturbed conscience.
Hooks
In the chapter on establishing a private life, Snyder warns that "Tyrants seek the hook on which to hang you. Try not to have hooks" (87). This is a compelling image because it clearly shows how, if there is a hook—an email, legal issues, debt—the authorities can easily and neatly hang you from it. If you're on the hook you are powerless and cannot get down, so Snyder counsels people to live a private life and be safe.
Spectacle
Snyder evokes the spectacle multiple times, writing of reality television, the cesspools of the internet, show trials, conspiracies, hysterical pundits. He wants us to be aware that the spectacle distracts us from what is really happening, and that we need to invest time and money in supporting real journalism and real activism.
