Symbol for attraction
When Katharina and Ludwig for the first time, they are instantly drawn to one another. With no words spoken between them, the two start dancing a slow dance while the rest of the people at the party go wild around them. Their way of dancing stands out because it is completely different from the way the rest of the characters behave around one another. This first dance is an important element in the film and it is used as a symbol to make reference to the way in which the two characters fell in love with one another instantly.
Excessive force
One of the common motifs in the film is the way in which Katharina is abused by the policemen and the inspectors who held her. Every time she was being moved from one room to another, she would be shoved or pushed in one way or another, the people interrogating her apparently enjoying making her suffer for no apparent reason.
Poppy
When Katharina first appears on screen, she is shown wearing a red poppy in her hair. As the film progresses, every time Katharina thinks about her past, she envisioned herself wearing a poppy flower in her hair. The poppy flower is used in this film as a symbol for the feeling of peace experienced by Katharine while she was together with Ludwig.
Confetti
During the first dance between Ludwig and Katharina the two are covered in confetti from people throwing it at them. When Katharina was in prison, she took her handkerchief out and from it, it started falling out confetti pieces put there by Ludwig before he left. The confetti is used here as a symbol to suggest the strength Ludwig's presence and the memory of his presence gave Katharina.
The cell
Katharina is presented at being incarcerated at various times during the film. The conditions in the cell are often appalling, Katharina having to deal with different degrees of filth and body secretions such as vomit. The cell is used in the film as a symbol to suggest Katharina's incapability to escape her destiny.
