A rifle (symbol)
A rifle is a symbol of uncontrollable violence. Arnold would never hurt his brother and he definitely didn’t plan on killing him. His rifle just “caught on the wire” and the boy “jerked it”. Then the air “was rocked by the sound of the shot”. It happened absolutely unintentionally, for Arnold could not even understand what had happened. Any weapon means violence and danger. Even if it rarely used and bought just for sake of having it, it is still a weapon, for it has been created for killing.
Nakedness (allegory)
Nakedness is allegory of insecurity and sincerity. When Arnold went “to tell his mother how he felt about Eugie”, he was “naked”. She “refused to listen to him” and “his nakedness had become unpardonable”. In other words, the boy goes to his mother in order to open his heart to her, but she doesn’t want his truth. Arnold is ashamed of himself and his emotions, his sincerity is unwished.
Putting labels (motif)
The sheriff, Uncle Andy and many others try to figure out who Arnold is. Some say that he is “reasonable”, for he behaves as if he doesn’t understand what a terrible tragedy has just happened, while others say that he is “mean”. Neither the first nor the second group is right. The boy is just shocked to fully understand that his brother is dead. Unfortunately for him, his state of shock is so strong that he doesn’t have “a tear in his eye”. This lack of emotions manages to convince others of his meanness.
