Pregnancy and sex
When their marriage and sexual intimacy finally culminate in conception, Christian is upset. He plays the victim of Ana's pregnancy and spirals off into an infantile regression. This raises an important symbolic consideration: Sex, when considered apart from family and childbirth, can bring about gender imbalances. Obviously, Christian is not the victim of Ana's pregnancy. It isn't like Ana wants to be pregnant, but that is what they committed to in marriage. This issue is resolved when they accept responsibility for building a family.
Jack the kidnapper
Whenever Jack is around, he is trying to kidnap people for ransom. He represents injustice, because he tries to commit acts of evil for monetary gain. He finally succeeds in kidnapping Mia, but instead of getting rich and getting away with it, he goes right back to jail. His motivation ends up being a sense of entitlement; he feels that Christian stole the company for him, but in reality, the entitlement and willingness to harm others was at the root of that loss as well.
Christian's allegory of control
The first Fifty Shades novel showed the thrill and excitement of power dynamics. In bed, Ana was happy to be tied up and ravaged by Christian, but in this novel, that power dynamic is shown for its unhealthy side. Ana explains to Christian that within the context of marriage, the sexual domination must be set aside so that they can function. In the end, Christian realizes that he cannot control Ana, nor can he keep her safe, and it is implied that they make some progress on this front.
The past and paranoia
In the falling action of the novel, Christian and Ana have a meaningful heart-to-heart where Christian explains that the root of his paranoia and need for control is from a past relationship with Elena. He doesn't like the person that this has made him, but in order to appear powerful, he has kept his broken past a secret from her. By sharing their intimate pains and by setting standards for their marriage, they attain a new intimacy.
The abortion allegory
When Christian drunkenly implies that Ana should have an abortion, that is shown as a regressive idea. This isn't a commentary on abortion; it is a commentary on his fear in becoming a father. His relationship to control and power makes him unable to face a future with as much chaos as a child can bring. In that new family dynamic, he can no longer pretend to be in control of fate. The process of accepting her pregnancy is a release of his control and an acceptance for time, fate, and change.
