Chopped Wood
Chopped wood is imagery that pops up often during the beginning of the novel, especially in the rural settings of the Netherlands and in the Kaiser's mansion. We see it appear at the very beginning through chapter 5, and it also can be seen at a later point in the book. This chopped wood is used to symbolize the humility and exile that the Kaiser must go through as well as his difference from the Nazis and the Third Reich. His actions contrast with that of the German army and thus define him as a separate entity with vastly different moral values.
Winston Churchill's Cane
As was mentioned in the Symbols, Allegory, and Motifs section, Winston Churchill's Cane is a symbol in the novel as well as imagery that occurs frequently throughout the passage of the pages. Whenever this imagery of the cane can be seen in the novel, it represents Kaiser Wilhelm II's background growing up in Britain as a kid and the love he has for the country. For this same reason, it occurs whenever Winston Churchill or his representatives are trying to convince the Kaiser into moving to Britain, not only to keep him safe, but to learn of any military secrets and plans he might've known about as the past German ruler.
Third Reich's Salute
The salute that the Third Reich performs for Adolf Hitler or other high-ranking members of the Germany army is a historical accuracy and representative of the evil and authoritative control that the Nazis had over their nation and people. This imagery shows up throughout the entire novel and is especially important when it is used by one of the main characters, Krebbs, who says he does so automatically and does not even realize the message he is sending when he performs this action. This imagery is important because it represents the evil that the protagonists are fighting against during the novel and the cruelty that they are so desperate to escape.
Shadows
The usage of shadows as imagery and a portrayal of darkness is consistent throughout the story and has important meaning to the plot. The first usage of this imagery is around the Kaiser's mansion. It is a large and decrepit mansion and is not extremely well-lit at every corner. These shadows that seem to be creeping around the house are imagery used to showcase the darkness in the Kaiser's mind. He is a bitter, lonely, and often delusional character that is subject to frequent bursts of darkness and longing for control over the Nazis and the German war machine. Another way these shadows are used is to bring attention to the spies and deception of World War II. The entire conflict of the book originated when the Third Reich suspected the Kaiser of housing spies to help opposing countries. The imagery of the shadows keeps this idea of shadowy figures and spies in the reader's mind while the plot is occurring.
