Weapons (Symbol)
Weapons are the trump card of the bandits of the whole of Arkansas. Ned Pepper and his friends use their pistols to steal money and gold. Mattie Ross, young and brave girl, also has a gun, but she uses it as a defense against murderers and robbers. The weapon has a double symbolism in the book. On the one hand, it symbolizes a crime, evil and death. On the other hand, it is a talisman and protection for some characters.
Horse (Symbol)
People always believe that a horse is a very clever and kind animal ... after the dog, of course. Readers can often see how the main characters Mattie, Rooster and LaBoeuf search the killer, riding their horses, or how the bandits run away with their mustangs, stealing money. Horses are animals, which will always be together with a person, despite the fact who its owner – an innocent girl as Mattie Ross or an evil criminal as Tom Chaney. A horse is a symbol of the devotion and kindness.
Revenge (Motif)
When a man has a desire to take revenge on someone, he has no idea about the consequences of his actions. Of course, he cannot stop to think about his revenge, because his insult will destroy him. The main character Mattie Ross terribly wants to take revenge on the murderer of her father, but she does not understand that it is dangerous to go alone in search of the murderer. The problem is her stubbornness and perseverance. Maybe, if she was not too brave, nothing bad would happen to her. The moral of this book is that you need to think about your actions very carefully.
