An Open Door
For Dalton, an open door has become a symbol of death. In his neighborhood, where people usually barricade themselves, an open door is something strange and unusual. It means "that a woman was fleeing an abusive husband, that a robbery or even a murder had taken place."
The Projects
The brick buildings of the projects always look the same. There was no construction, no renovation, or even a coat of paint. Throughout the years, they represent the static state of poverty: The economy may change over the decades, but poverty and the government's social policy always stay the same.
Graffiti
Dalton considers the graffiti in his neighborhood a symbol of poverty. What really bothers him is that crime or family dramas are usually kept hidden, but the graffiti is found in the open--moreover, it is found in the most prominent spots, as sprayers keep expanding their territory and showing off their audacity.
Vince
"Vince" is the caption of a small GI portrait that Dalton's father sneaked home from work. It symbolizes the low value of art in the modern economy, as it was his father's job to "shear off these paintings in order to reveal the clean, virgin canvas underneath," because importing paintings was cheaper than blank canvases and frames. The paintings, therefore, were not appreciated as art but as a means to cut costs.
Designer Clothes
Dalton considers designer clothes a symbol of upward mobility, representing high quality and status. However, he realizes that he has to make a decision: Either save money and give up quality, or choose quality and never better his "financial lot."
