Revealing clothes
The women with whom Carlos gets involved are all described as wearing excessively revealing clothes and not caring about how the other perceived them. The women in question were interested only in attracting the eyes of the men around them and they are portrayed as willing to do anything to reach their goals. As such, the revealing clothes the women wear in this context are used as a symbol to represent their slutty attitude.
Multiple empty glasses
The house where Carlos is living is described as being littered with empty glasses and empty alcohol bottles. These elements cover almost every surface available in the house. The glasses and the bottles are an important element here and are in fact used as a symbol to represent the character’s moral depravity.
Women need a man
One of the most common motifs found in the novel is the idea that every woman needs a man by her side. This idea is accepted by the female characters as being true and they never dare to question it. This makes the women in the novel depend on their male companions and it strips them of their individuality.
The hats
The characters who are involved in some way or another in shady businesses and behaviors all try to hide themselves and their true intentions. These characters are all described as wearing hats at some point or another. The hats become an important symbol in the story and are used to represent the idea of hiding one’s true identity.
Nothing ever happens in a small community
Another common motif in the story is the idea that nothing ever happens in a small community. This idea is repeated over and over again by the main characters and is also the reason why so many characters decide to leave behind their small community. This idea also pushes many characters to be in a constant search for any type of unusual experiences which will break them from the normal day to day monotony.
