Egon's pistol
Initially the device by which Egon sought to end his own life, the little pistol becomes a symbol of his decision not only to live but to resist the urge to behave impulsively. He does not throw it away, but keeps it as a reminder.
Weather motif
Mild, pleasant weather is used to symbolize what ought to be freedom from care, but some of the characters are tormented and upset despite their beautiful surroundings. Egon begins the novel in a beautiful alpine meadow, but the clear skies and the beauty of his surroundings actually make him wish for thunder and lightning. His life has been too easy, and he is frustrated and unsatisfied. When he does get a violent storm, in the last half of the book when he stupidly and impulsively tries to cross a dangerous mountain pass in a thunderstorm, he ends up with a concussion and the knowledge that his unwillingness to wait has caused the death of an innocent driver. These developments are what finally give him the ability to overcome his impulsive nature.
In the second half of the novel, Bertha is living on the von Wangen estate where, despite the pleasant weather, she is bored and frustrated. Although she is now financially secure, having obtained what she thought she wanted, she misses the gaiety and social activities of her old life in Berlin.
Horseback ride as a metaphor for self-control
Egon's ride on the temperamental stallion Soliman symbolizes his struggle to master his own impulsive nature. The horse jumps, kicks, and tries by many tricks to make Egon fall off, but Egon rides Soliman on an adventurous chase down a hill. The horse gives up trying to buck Egon off, demonstrating that Egon has outstanding riding skills that allowed him to remain in control of the horse the whole time. Egon also has the skills and the wherewithal to master his temper and his tendency to act on impulse, and by the end of the book has managed to control himself. But, as with the horse, it is evident that the capacity for self-control is present in the character from the beginning.
Piano music as symbol of emotional depth
One of the ways Egon soothes and comforts himself is by playing the piano. He is an extremely skilled player, however instead of playing music that showcases his virtuosity he either plays classical music or improvises. He puts all his heart and emotion into the music, letting it carry him away until he becomes one with it. It is the only way he can express how he truly feels in a way that is intelligible to others. One of the reasons he connects so well with the von Osternau family is because Frau von Osternau and Egon love the same kind of music. During Bertha's sojourn with the von Osternau family he plays often, but as he becomes more emotionally confused and distracted by Bertha's beauty despite his growing respect for Elise, Egon's inner conflict is reflected in his music.
Bertha, a very skilled musician in her own right, does not play emotionally or passionately. She prefers what Egon scornfully calls "drawing-room music": songs that are technically difficult and that show off the musician's technique but that do not provide much scope for artistic interpretation or emotional content. After hearing Egon play once, Bertha-- who excels at presenting a false front and who has no emotional attachment to the man who later becomes her loving husband-- never plays in front of him again. This shallowness of character and emotion reflects uncomfortably in her music, and she is ashamed of it.
