Trust
In the film, Rocky is constantly trying to woo Adrian in the beginning but she seems to be too shy to respond. However, after Rocky convinces Adrian to go out with him on Thanksgiving she starts to talk and leave her quietness behind for a while. At last, when Rocky invites her into his apartment, we see are immense hesitation. It seems she might go away any minute. But she eventually decides to go in. This imagery shows the trust that is starting to build between Rocky and Adrian. And foreshadows their eventual relationship.
Walking
Rocky is seen walking around town in the beginning section of the film. This is done in order for the audience to get a sense of his surroundings and his life routines. Whenever Rocky is shown walking we see him slightly swinging his fists as if he’s fighting an imaginary opponent. This imagery references his fighting spirit because of which he still manages to live through his failures.
Challenger
When Apollo Creed’s team tells Rocky that he has been selected as the underdog to fight against Apollo for the world heavyweight championship, Rocky isn’t interested at first. He doesn’t think he would put up a good fight. Even after he gets the chance to fight, we still see him not training seriously. But eventually, we see him overcome his circumstances. This acceptance of rising up to the challenge is made clear with the imagery of him sprinting up the steps and putting both his fists up in the air.
Resurrection
The first shot of the film is that of Christ. And then we see Rocky fighting in the ring. The name of the gym is written on a banner hanging on a wall. The gym is called Resurrection Athletic Centre. This imagery shows us what the film is about. It refers to the resurrection of Rocky from this bum fighter who is looked down on to a fighter that went the fifteen rounds with Apollo Creed, the heavyweight champion of the world.
