Ivory
Ivory is a symbol of escape. Towards the end of A Bend in the River, Salim is forced to travel back to the small town he had once lived in Africa so that he could earn enough money to return to London, where he hoped to create a new life for himself. Like many in Africa, Salim was forced to resort to illegal and immoral methods to earn enough money to leave his circumstances: sell ivory. Ivory, which is prized by wealthy people across Europe, is symbolic of a quick way to escape Africa for Salim and many others facing difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances.
Death
Death is a significant motif in A Bend in the River. Because of the dangerous environment that they live in, characters in Bend in the River are often killed or threatened with death. In most instances, killing another person in post-colonial Africa is done because it is necessary to do so. However, in other instances, people kill others just because they can. For instance, after Father Huismans (a man who was well-regarded and esteemed) is killed by raiders on a trip, no one cares because death is so frequent around them.
African religious masks
African religious masks are symbols of history. In Salim's town, a local religious leader named Father Huismans holds a collection of African religious masks. Those masks, which many residents cherish, are powerful symbols of the remnants of pre-colonialist religions. Before the British and other European powers came into Africa, local religions were commonplace across Africa. However, after European powers came into the continent, they either destroyed or drove those religions underground in favor of their customs and religion, showing how culturally destructive colonialism is.
Maximes
Maximes, the book that the President of Salim's country publishes so that his thoughts (which are largely banal and unimportant) can be distributed to his subjects, is a symbol of political dysfunction in the country Salim lives in. Instead of focusing on the well-being of his citizens, most of whom are struggling to provide even basic necessities, the President devoted quite a bit of time to writing the book, which didn't benefit anyone in his country. That misalignment of priorities reflects why so little got done in Salim's country.
