Sweatshirts (Symbol)
In almost every scene in the film, Mark is wearing a cotton sweatshirt—a symbol of the changing face of big American business. While corporate America has long been associated with formal displays of professionalism and wealth as shown in one's suit, Mark sets himself apart by dressing no differently in formal business settings than he would on campus. The youthful, casual sweatshirts Mark wears contrast with the formal attire of Eduardo, the lawyers, and the investors, making it clear that Mark is so confident in his company's success that he does not believe he has to abide by business conventions. While it may seem like an insignificant superficial divide, Mark's casual wardrobe is a visual symbol of the broader phenomenon of tech companies altering the American business landscape.
Depositions (Motif)
The Social Network uses a structure of repeated jump cuts between dramatization of scenes and the characters from those scenes narrating the details of what happened while giving sworn evidence as part of one of the several depositions Mark sits through. The motif of cutting to deposition testimony signals to the viewer that the scenes we are being shown are significant because they will later become relevant in separate lawsuits the Winklevoss Twins and Eduardo Saverin launch against Mark. The effect is that almost every scene is imbued with dramatic irony because the characters do not know at the time that Mark will betray them. The viewer also anticipates when and how conflicts will emerge between Mark and the people who trusted him.
Friend Request (Symbol)
At the end of the film, Zuckerberg sends a Facebook friend request to Erica Albright, the ex-girlfriend who dumped him in the film's opening scene. The friend request is a symbol of how Zuckerberg continues to seek emotional validation from Erica despite his material success as the world's youngest billionaire. The symbol also reminds viewers of how Erica's denunciation of Zuckerberg triggered his drive to gain power, influence, and admiration with his website coding skills.
Business Card (Symbol)
After Mark learns of Sean's involvement in a cocaine bust that risks tarnishing Facebook's image, he hangs up the phone and lifts his business card. It reads "I'm CEO, Bitch," a phrase Sean came up with in an earlier scene when he was trying to convince Mark that Facebook would become a billion-dollar company and Mark would answer to no one as the CEO. The comically cocky business card symbolizes Mark's inflated ego. In his drive to be seen as powerful, Mark has forged a regrettable alliance with a person of low morality, abandoning his friend Eduardo in the process.
Sean's Reputation (Motif)
During Mark's first meeting with Sean Parker, Sean orders confidently from the menu and the waitress knows him by name. In later scenes, Sean is similarly well-liked and known by attractive women at the club as he orders expensive drinks. The motif of Sean's reputation as someone who spends a lot of money and is admired by women is significant because it impresses Mark and blinds him to Sean's red flags, such as his lack of somewhere to live and his paranoia around government surveillance.
