Doubles Motif
There are multiple visual images of doubles of objects and people in the film, and the opening sequence is the foundation for this. There are two taxis, two railway tracks, two men talking. There are two pairs of feet, one belonging to Guy, the other to Bruno. Bruno also references the motif himself, ordering doubles at the bar and joking about it. There are also doubles of many of the characters; there are two Morton sisters, for example, and Barbara Morton is also part of a double with Miriam Haines and the two women are so visually similar that seeing Barbara gives Bruno flashbacks to the moment he was strangling Miriam. At the amusement park, there are two park employees, two carousel operators and two cops - everything in the film follows the motif and consequently this reminds us of the seemingly squeaky-clean Guy's double life.
Showy Shoes
Two pairs of feet are shown, belonging to Guy and Bruno, but they are wearing very different footwear. Bruno's shoes are brown and white, overly adorned and very showy. This is a symbol of his vulgarity and also that he is not the kind of person with whom Guy would normally associate.
Barbara Symbol
Barbara Morton looks very similar in appearance to Miriam Haines. When demonstrating the correct way in which to strangle someone, Bruno catches sight of her, and she symbolizes to him his murder of Miriam, giving him flashbacks and recreating in his mind exactly what he has done.
Cigarette Lighter Symbol
The cigarette lighter that belongs to Guy is engraved with two tennis rackets and both his and Miriam's first initials. It is a symbol of who he is, and when Bruno takes the lighter to the amusement park he intends to drop it there for the police to find as a symbol of Guy's guilt.
Carousel Symbol
The plan to murder Miriam and Bruno's father starts off as a conversation which Guy attempts to laugh off. It becomes a plan, and when Bruno murders Miriam it becomes a deal, an agreement, and a crime. It also then becomes an obligation; Guy knows that he is now expected to murder a complete stranger to keep his side of the bargain and to protect himself from being turned in for his involvement in Miriam's murder. When the two men begin to ride on the carousel it is spinning normally and gently, but they begin to fight, and when the police accidentally shoot the carousel operator it spins faster and faster until it eventually becomes out of control and crashes. This is a symbol of the plan that the men made and of the way in which it began to spiral out of control faster and faster until ultimately it crashed, causing Bruno's death.
