Roger's Dirty Face (Symbol)
The dirtiness of Roger's face is a symbol of his lack of parental care. While holding Roger captive, Mrs. Jones notices that his face is unwashed. From this detail, she deduces correctly that Roger doesn't have anyone at home, even though it is eleven o'clock at night. Understanding that Roger has no one to teach him how to take care of himself, Mrs. Jones brings him to her house. She instructs him to wash his face, treating him with sternness but care as she attempts to instill in him the importance of dignified self-presentation.
Blue Suede Shoes (Symbol)
The pair of blue suede shoes Roger wishes to buy is a symbol for aspirational consumerism. As a teenage boy, Roger hopes to emulate the fashion around him to have a sense of social belonging. However, he is too poor to afford a ten-dollar pair of shoes, and so he resorts to stealing purses. The blue suede shoes are symbolic in that they would display Roger's belonging to a social stratum he aspires to join but is currently shut out of because of his poverty.
Ten Dollars (Symbol)
The ten dollars Mrs. Jones gives Roger at the end of the story is a symbol of her generosity. Although he tried to rob her earlier that evening, Mrs. Jones sends Roger away with enough money to buy himself a pair of blue suede shoes. While Roger had expected her to punish him by bringing him to the police station, Mrs. Jones sits down with Roger, talks to him about his desperate situation, feeds him, and gives him enough money that he won't have to revert to crime. In this way, she shows how generosity—both material and spiritual—can be an alternative to punitive action.
