Christmas tree- symbolizes the great efforts that Freitag/Levy household went in order to assimilate into their predominate southern Christian neighborhood. Boo, however, does try to keep some hold of their Jewish heritage but refusing to allow Lala to use a star as a tree topper when she states putting a star would make their Christian neighbors think “we’re a bunch of Jewish fools pretending to be Christians”.
Ballyhoo- a social party that young Jewish people from all over the south attend and often considered a non-secular event. It was originally created because Jews were denied entry into the private country clubs. This event symbolizes the efforts that southern Jews made in attempts to counteract the discrimination they experienced by the predominately Christian society.
Gone with the Wind- from the beginning of the play, the audience gets a good sense of Lala’s obsession with the movie Gone with the Wind. Gone with the Wind became the most popular film during that decade. Her obsession symbolizes her efforts to assimilate into society by engaging in activities that involve mainstream pop culture.
Sunny’s shared Sabbath dream- at the end of the novel when Joe and Sunny part, Joe tells Sunny that they have the whole future ahead of them and to think of “something good” in the meantime. The play then closes with Sunny dreaming of a Sabbath with every family member seated at the dinner table, lighting the Sabbath candles, and reciting the Jewish Sabbath prayer. The Christmas tree is also absent in her dream. This dream symbolizes the character development that Sunny has experienced throughout the play to someone who is proud of her Jewish heritage and is more aware of the prejudices faced against her religion.
Joe- as the only Eastern European Jews in the whole cast, he is outwardly discriminated against by Boo and Peachy. After his fight with Sunny during Ballyhoo over not knowing the restrictions placed against his type of Jew, he eventually catalyzes the change that is experienced by Sunny at the end of the play.