It Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

It Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

George's boat

Bill makes a paper boat for his younger brother George, who takes it out to play with on a rainy day, pretending it is a warship. This boat represents childhood and George's innocence. The boat ultimately leads to George's death, as it leads him to Pennywise in the drain, and represents how easily innocence can be destroyed. By killing George, Pennywise takes away his childhood, and also arguably takes away Bill's childhood. This is symbolized by the fact that Pennywise steals George's boat. Later, the symbol of a boat becomes nostalgic for Bill as an adult, as it reminds him of his little brother. The boat also symbolizes the feeling of guilt he has as he was the one who made him the boat.

The Canal

The canal is a famous landmark in Derry and makes the town "visible" in a sense. However, the cancel is also the setting of many of the book's most horrific crimes, as it is where Pennywise kills some of his victims. These victims are never seen again after Pennywise pulls them into the canal, and therefore this symbol represents the corruption that exists beneath Derry's surface. Examples of this corruption include domestic abuse, bullying, prejudice and manipulative parents, all of which can be seen in the childhoods of the main characters.

Bill's bike

In the novel, Bill owns a bike called Silver, which is his most treasured possession, and represents his childhood and imagination. For example, he uses playing cards on his bike in order to mimic the sound of a motorbike, pretending he is riding one. As a child, a bike is the fastest mode of transport he has and it is used to escape dangerous situations and help others during his childhood. Later, when Bill returns to Derry, he sees the bike in a shop window and decides to buy it. The bike has emotional and nostalgic value for Bill, as it reminds him of the memories he had as a child in Derry.

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

Update this section

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.