The gym’s gear space
The author uses the gym's gear space as a symbol of asylum and clandestine. Rob is the person in charge of the gym's equipment room. Several characters, including Simon, meet at the gym equipment room to work out, share secrets and plan on the next move. Unlike other characters, Rob has an office in the gym's equipment room, and he holds the key. Consequently, Rob does not want any other character to discover his dark secrets in his office. For Simon, the gym is where he finds refuge because, in other places, he is bullied and mistreated.
Rob's molestation symbolizes societal rot.
When Simon is empowered and made popular by Rob, he uses his power of knowledge to discover all the past secrets of Rob. Simon discovers that Rob was molested by his father while and he is now he is serving a jail term. Rob expresses his frustration by oppressing others and controlling everything around him. Consequently, Rob's molestation by his father symbolizes the decay in society because people are doing exactly the opposite of what is expected of them.
The symbolism of vengeance
Simon's murder symbolizes vengeance. When Rob empowers Simon and makes him popular, Simon reveals the darkest secrets of Rob. Rob gets angry and decides to influence Steward to help him murder Simon to teach him a lesson. After the murder of Simon, Steward ends up in prison.
