Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby

The proposed hanging of Colby symbolizes collective violence in the name of justice or order. The execution represents the group’s disregard for Colby’s individuality and their desensitization to violence. The casual manner in which they plan Colby’s hanging underlines the story’s themes of dehumanization and the banality of violence. The hanging is also symbolic of the finality of the group’s judgment, reflecting the irreversible consequences of their collective decision. The narrator’s omission of a description of Colby’s death at the end of the story indicates a reluctance to confront the consequences of the group’s actions.

A significant motif in the story is the conspicuous absence of Colby from the group’s discussions about his fate. This absence emphasizes Colby’s dehumanization and the group’s disregard for his perspective or feelings. His lack of agency in the decision-making process underscores the themes of Dehumanization and the Erosion of Individuality. 

The motif of the rubber ball highlights the story’s overarching tone of absurdity. Initially, the rubber ball appears as a comical detail within the already farcical premise of friends planning a public hanging. Its presence amplifies the stark dissonance between the group’s lighthearted approach and the brutal reality of the execution they are organizing.