Black Meat
The black meat sold in the marketplace is a symbol of hard drug addiction. The reader realizes that the black meat sold here is purely heroine, and consumers gluttonously eat it. After eating, consumers vomit profusely so that they can get more energy to eat more.
Dr. Benway
Dr. Benway symbolizes unprofessionalism in the medical industry. Dr. Benway is a medical practitioner who is supposed to take good care of patients and recover. Unfortunately, Dr. Benway drugs his patients and tortures them both physically and mentally.
Lee’s escapades
Lee's escapades symbolize vicious encounters with drugs and sex. While in Freeland, Lee encounters Dr. Benway, passionate about drugging his patients, torturing and manipulating them. While in Interzone, Lee witnesses a marketplace where sex and drugs are exchanged for money without shame.
Annexia
Annexia is a symbol of autocracy by government institutions. The role of any government is assumed to be serving its people honestly and equitably distributing resources. However, Burrough criticizes the government by indicating that those given the responsibility to lead are tyrants after satisfying their selfish needs.
America
Throughout the book, America is depicted as a racist and homophobic state. Lee’s adventures reveal that racism is rampant in America during the 20th century, an era when ethnic tolerance should be encouraged. Similarly, the author illustrates that homosexual people are discriminated against because they are treated as mentally ill individuals who are not supposed to be part of society.
