Off Road
Malick shows us a fast-paced camera in the night that reveals the earth moving violently in the headlights of a car. The imagery reveals danger at a break-neck speed as they travel off-road. This reveals how they have not only gone off the path of life but are hurling off of it in a darkness so dense they can only see a few feet in front of themselves.
Front Yard
We watch as Holly is practicing her baton twirling routine in the front yard of her home as Kit, smeared with grease, walks from the street towards her. The imagery evokes the sense of innocence, which is portrayed by Holly's routine, and how it is being encroached upon by Kit who with his dirtied shirt and James Dean walk represents the angst of youth.
James Dean
Kit throughout the film is said to look like James Dean, the most famous person on the planet. We watch as police officers says it plainly after Kit is in custody, and then we see Kit shaking hands with the police as crowds have formed to come see him after his arrest. The imagery reveals America's obssession with violence and how we glorify those who perpetrate it as if they were movie stars.
Scarecrow
We see Kit holding his gun over his shoulder and the imagery appears as if he is a scarecrow in the vast field upon which he stands. The imagery evokes the sense that Kit is not a man, which relates to his ability to kill with ease. And it goes even deeper in that the scarecrow has been used by farmers to ward off animals from eating the food. Thus, it represents how he believes he is Holly's protector.
