Mist Symbol
The falling of the mist is a symbol of the hidden dangers that are about to wreak havoc on Bridgton. It at first seems quite benign and non-threatening - we have all seen mists fall after a thunderstorm before. As the story builds, so does the tension. The arrival of the mist symbolizes the arrival of danger, and it is hidden because of the mist's volume and thickness.
Malevolent Mist Symbol
Mrs Carmody claims that the malevolence in the mist is a symbol of God's anger towards the humans for their wrongdoings. She claims that the mist is something that the humans have brought upon themselves because of their behavior, and they are now being punished for it.
Human Sacrifice Symbol
The human sacrifice is suggested by Mrs Carmody as a symbol to God of the human's remorse for their actions and also as a symbol of appeasement. In actual fact, it is a symbol of her bloodthirsty nature and the danger that she poses to the others imprisoned in the supermarket.
Supermarket Symbol
The fact that the majority of the action occurs in the supermarket is symbolic of the way in which a perfectly normal day turned into something sinister and almost apocalyptic. Going to the grocery store is one of the most normal, fundamental and non-remarkable things that a person does in a day and it is something that everyone has experienced. This normalcy symbolizes the fact that the mist and its malevolence is something that could happen to anybody which is why the collection of people trapped inside the store are so random.
Military Installation Symbol
The soldiers in the supermarket are stationed at the nearby military installation which is shrouded in secrecy; however, it is also a symbol to the locals of something sinister and unexplained. There is heavy suggestion that the installation itself caused the mist, and the savage monsters within it. The installation is a symbol of danger, and of there being forces at work that we know nothing about even though they are on our doorstep.
