Clothing (Motif)
Clothing is an important motif that reflects the theme of class, and the gap between appearances and reality. Richard is extremely self-conscious about having less money than most of the other Hampden students, and he tries to conceal this reality by pretending to be wealthier than he actually is. Early in the novel, Richard lies to his boss about needing money in order to repair his car, and instead uses the paycheck advance to buy himself clothes. He is also delighted when Judy gifts him an elegant blazer, which he wears when he goes to lunch with Bunny. Richard is very conscious of appearances, taste, and aesthetics; this refined awareness helps him to fit in with the other Greek students, and gives him the impression that he is fitting in. However, clothes can also be deceptive because they create a superficial appearance without changing deeper realities. Richard can use elegant clothes to create the impression of sophistication and wealth, but his life will always be different from the lives of his friends because he does not have the privileges that money brings.
Alcohol (Motif)
Alcohol is a reoccurring motif in the novel, with many of the characters frequently consuming alcohol, and sometimes drinking to excess. Whenever the group gathers at Francis's country house, they drink steadily, and Richard later learns that the others were using alcohol to achieve a state of inebriation as part of their rituals. Richard drinks at other college parties, often in an attempt to fit in, and part of why Bunny's death is eventually ruled as accidental is because he was drunk at the time that he died. In the aftermath of Bunny's death, Charles's drinking accelerates and leads to dangerous and destructive behavior. The motif of alcohol reflects how the main characters are young, inexperienced, reckless, and not very good at calculating risk. They confidently think they are in control, and can handle risk, but they end up creating chaos and tragedy when events invariably spin out of their control.
Snow (Symbol)
After the friends kill Bunny, they have to endure a torturous wait because a late snowfall conceals his body, and delays the discovery of the corpse. The snow symbolizes concealment, deception, and false innocence. Just as the snow cover up Bunny's body, the friends will diligently work to cover up their violent crime, and feign being caring friends who are grieving the loss. The whiteness of snow often gives it associations with innocence, and with covering over whatever lies beneath it; likewise, for Richard and his friends, their youth, privilege, and reputations conceal the horror of what they have done, and let them get away with the crime. However, snow will always melt eventually, and just like the snow melts away to reveal Bunny's body, the pose of handling the crime eventually melts away. All of the friends end up severely scarred and traumatized after the crime, even if those consequences take a while to materialize.
The Poem Read at Bunny's Funeral (Symbol)
At Bunny's funeral, Henry reads a poem. Richard is surprised that Henry reads a poem by A.E Housman (1859-1936) rather than a Classical text. Henry chooses a poem that Bunny liked and often quoted; the poem symbolizes both affection for Bunny, and a critique of his aesthetic tastes. Both Julian and the other Greek students are generally disdainful of more modern literature, and the Housman poem in particular is sentimental and simplistic in contrast with the other literature they read. Henry symbolically shows that he actually knew who Bunny was, and does not try to change or conceal that identity after his death, which is especially pertinent when so many people misrepresent and elegize Bunny while grieving. By choosing the poem, Henry even shows that he feels some loss at the genuine, unpretentious, and sometimes good-natured person Bunny could be. Another important symbolic layer to the poem is that while Housman's style as a poet was distinctively not Classical, he was also a renowned scholar of Latin and Greek.
The College Brochure (Symbol)
Richard only ends up coming to Hampden by chance: he had seen a brochure for the college, and happens upon it one day after he has already started studying in California. Because Richard is unhappy, the brochure prompts him to apply to transfer, and sets his fate in motion. The brochure symbolizes the impact of luck and chance on someone's life; as Richard reveals at the beginning of the novel, his whole identity becomes rooted in his time at Hampden, and the relationships he forms there, and yet he only ends up studying there due to a random series of events. The brochure also symbolizes the gap between appearance and reality; Richard is very aesthetically and imaginatively sensitive so he is easily attracted by the alluring appearance of the college, and the life he imagines having there. However, the reality is that he ends up having to maintain a false story of who he is, and this nearly kills him when he almost freezes to death rather than reveal how little money he has. Moreover, he ends up involved in a murder plot that jeopardizes his future, and leaves him psychologically damaged for the rest of his life.
