Drugs
The drugs that the Sympathizer sells are symbolic of capitalism and how he manages to survive despite not having much economic opportunity. Drugs are Sympathizer's means to an end; without selling them, he wouldn't be able to survive.
France
For the Sympathizer, France is a symbol of opportunity. Previously, the Sympathizer had immigrated to France in hopes of finding economic success, something that had previously proved elusive for him. To that end, the Sympathizer began to sell drugs in France, which gave him the financial success he had been after.
Cultural assimilation
A common motif in the novel is the Sympathizer's difficulty in assimilating into French culture. As an immigrant, it is natural for anyone to have a tough time blending into the culture of different country. The Sympathizer was no different; he struggled to blend in with a culture that was mostly foreign to him and vastly different than his own culture.
Re-education
Another common motif in the novel is characters wanting to put the Sympathizer into a program for re-education. The Sympathizer came from a culture and a country that was vastly different than the country he immigrated to. Because of this, he is ostracized by his fellow Frenchmen and the group he falls in with. Initially, this group asks Sympathizer to be re-educated, but he refuses. Eventually, their request becomes a demand, and the Sympathizer is forced to undergo a re-education process, which leads to a major conflict in the novel.
The pitfalls of an immigrant's dream
The Committed is an allegory warning about the pitfalls of an immigrant's dream. Often, when immigrants move from one country to another, they do so thinking their opportunities will be plentiful and they will see tremendous financial success. However, as is illustrated in the novel, an immigrant's dream doesn't always come to fruition, and they are left doing unsavory things (like selling drugs) to survive.
