The Pedersen Kid

The titular Pedersen kid symbolizes innocence and suffering. The boy’s age is never stated, but he appears to be quite young. Moreover, he apparently witnessed his family being forced into a cellar at gunpoint, and he nearly froze to death. The characters’ willingness to help him symbolizes their varying degrees of compassion.

The Intruder

The intruder symbolizes, fear, uncertainty, and danger. Throughout most of the journey to—and investigation of—the Pedersen home, the three central characters maintain varying levels of fear and uncertainty regarding the various possibilities. The intruder’s existence is not fully evident until the intruder shoots Pa, and the intruder’s identity is never revealed.

Simon

Simon symbolizes the precarious alliances between humanity and certain aspects of nature. Simon in Pa’s horse, whom they use to pull the sleigh to the Pedersens’ house. They experience some obstacles when...