Appearance (Motif)
The speaker fixates on Richard Cory's outward appearance throughout the poem. This serves two symbolic functions. First, Cory's clean-cut and gentlemanly exterior symbolizes, for the townspeople, his elite status and his comfortable and pleasant life. Within the context of the poem, however, Cory's appearance also symbolizes the disparity that exists between one's public life on display and one's private experience.
Even when the speaker does not use words that create an explicit connection between Cory and royalty, the connection is implicitly made. In the first stanza, the speaker states that Cory is "a gentleman from sole to crown," with the word "crown" serving the double meaning of head and kingship (Line 3). The phrase "imperially slim" also implies the majestic quality of an emperor. A royal appearance is imbued into the townspeople's image of Cory. Later on in the poem, despite having been described as "quietly arrayed," Cory nevertheless "[glitters] when he [walks]" (Lines 5 and 8).
Food (Symbol)
In the poem, food is a symbol of financial struggle. The speaker notes that the townspeople "went without meat, and cursed the bread," suggesting that they were used to making sacrifices due to financial hardship (Line 14). This experience contrasts with their perception of Richard Cory as comfortable and happy with his luxurious lifestyle. In reality, Cory's wealth could not save him from his fate.
The Light (Symbol)
In describing the hardships that the townspeople face, the speaker states that they "[wait] for the light" (Line 13). While the light can be taken literally, it also resonates symbolically with the American Dream. Cory himself represents the light at the end of the tunnel; he is evidence to the community that such a life is possible. However, at the end of the poem, the symbolic light is shown to be an illusion. Though wealth would inarguably solve some of the townspeople's problems, it does not guarantee a good life. In Cory's case, it does not guarantee life at all.
This literary and cultural symbol was strong enough to endure over time. Light as a symbol for the American Dream appears in F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.
