Tipping
Mr. Pink at the diner tells everyone he doesn't tip, and thus introduces a habit with symbolic meaning. He's had to earn his money at jobs without tips and he believes it is a choice that these waitresses make to take a job that earns tips, and that he won't be swayed to do something because society has deemed it appropriate. He does what he believes is right. This symbolism runs through the character's journey as he doesn't choose to just believe what someone tells him, he wants to decide based on facts what the truth is.
K-Billy Radio Motif
K-Billy is a fictional radio station that continues to pop up in the film. Tarantino chose specific songs to play to score his film, and by creating the fictional radio station he was able to embed the music he wanted into one place (K-Billy) that connected all of the characters, as they would all listen to the radio station throughout the story.
Naming Actors Motif
We hear Mr. Brown reference Charles Bronson at the beginning of the film as he tells his story about what the song Like A Virgin by Madonna means. Later in the film Mr. White tells Mr. Orange, "If someone thinks they're Charles Bronson hit 'em with the butt of your gun." And to cap off the motif of naming actors to describe who someone is, Holdaway tells Freddy (Mr. Orange) that he needs to be like Marlon Brando if he is going to be an undercover cop.
The Commode Speech
During Freddy's Commode Speech to Joe, Mr. White and Nice Guy Eddie, Tarantino shoots him giving the speech directly to the four cops in the bathroom during one shot. Tarantino's camera spirals around Freddy as the cops just stare directly at him. This symbolizes Freddy's embodiement of the story, that he's done what Holdaway has told him to do and become such a great actor that he knows every part of this story, as if he was actually there when it happened. Thus, we see in this moment his transformation into Mr. Orange.
Duct Tape and Torture
Mr. Blonde is left alone with the cop he kidnapped. The cop tells him that he doesn't know anything. Mr. Blonde begins to unravel duct tape, telling the cop that he doesn't care about what he knows. He just enjoys torture. By putting the duct tape over the cops mouth he is symbolizing that he doesn't need the cop to speak. It also serves as a symbol of him being the madman everyone has said he is up until this point.
