The Wolf Suit (Symbol)
The wolf suit is a symbol of Max’s inner wild thing. He dons the suit when he makes mischief, adopting the persona of a wild thing so much that his mother addresses him as such. He then frolics with the real wild things while remaining in his suit. At the conclusion of the story, Max is ready to step aside from the role of a wild thing for the night. In the final illustration, he is depicted pushing back the hood of the suit, at last emerging from its persona.
The Forest (Symbol)
When Max is sent to his room, he is at the peak of his anger. Out of that anger, he conjures a forest that replaces the confines of his room and allows him to escape to a safe place, one where he can interact on his own terms with his anger and come to peace with it. In this sense, the imaginary forest represents Max's ability to work through his emotions away from his anger with his mother.
The Wild Things (Symbol)
The big and terrifying but easily swayed creatures of the forest represent Max's fiercest emotions. When he is banished to his room for a time-out without dinner, he surrenders himself to them, entering in a "wild rumpus" with his anger and upset. But by the time the rumpus is over, the wild things are ready to settle down for the night. Max finds his anger melting away and is ready to return home.
Hot Supper (Symbol)
When Max returns home after a long adventure in the land of the wild things, he finds his supper waiting for him, still hot. The supper serves as a reminder that he belongs at home, symbolizing his mother's love and restoring peace after a tumultuous evening of conflict.
