Symbol: The Hooverville Campfire
The campfire in Hooverville symbolizes the melting pot of diversity the Hoovervilles have become since the onset of the Great Depression. In the light of the fire, no one is black or white or Hispanic or Asian—they’re all just different shades of orange, huddled together for warmth and support. The campfire symbolizes the new unity people found amidst the darkness and hardship of the depression, and how barriers melted away in the face of that unity.
Motif: Doors and opportunity
Bud’s mother gave him the age-old speech about “when one door closes, another one opens,” and he certainly takes that to heart. When his search for Miss Hill doesn’t work out like he planned, Bud perceives it as one of those doors closing that will lead to another opportunity down the line, and sure enough, he encounters his old friend Bugs not long after. Bugs invites Bud to go west with him, and Bud takes advantage of that opportunity, knowing that plenty more doors will be opening and closing along the way.
Symbol: The Sweet Pea Restaurant
The Sweet Pea Restaurant symbolizes something very special for Bud, and it is the first place he is able to cry after claiming over the whole narrative that he hadn’t cried in forever. In the restaurant, surrounded by the band that has essentially adopted him, Bud has finally found his people, and is overcome at that realization. The Sweet Pea is a safe place for Bud, symbolizing a homecoming he has searched for throughout the novel.
Symbol: Bud's name
Momma stresses that Bud needs to go by Bud, not Buddy. She speaks metaphorically of him as a Bud, but we can probe the symbolism of a bud as well. A bud is a flower—a living, breathing, beautiful creation of nature. It is in its infancy, though; it is still growing and developing and is not yet ready to fully meet the world. Bud is the same, which is what makes the symbolism of the bud work so well.
Motif: Smell
Bud often describes or revels in particular smells, which is a useful way for Curtis to indicate what memories and experiences matter to Bud since scent is such a powerful way to evoke such things. Examples include: Bud is always hungry, so he describes the smells of food with particular relish; when he can't sleep he breathes in the scent of his blanket which reminds him of his Momma; he breathes in the scent of his new saxophone case as if to commit this moment and future moments with the case to memory; and he talks about the particular smell of libraries.
