The Flyers Symbol Analysis

The flyers that Bud carries around in his suitcase symbolize his pursuit of both freedom and belonging—freedom from the foster care system, but belonging in the sense of finding a family and a true home. The flyers, which once belonged to Bud’s late mother, contain information on Herman E. Calloway (whom Bud suspects to be his father) and the many iterations of his band over the years. For Bud, these flyers are an ongoing source of fascination and a tether to his hope that somewhere out there, he has family he belongs to. This hope persists despite Bud almost losing the flyers during a daring attempt to get on a train heading West with his friend Bugs. To get the flyers, Bud has to forego getting on the train, a moment that shows just how much he prioritizes his hope of belonging to a community and family that will care for him over his desire to leave Flint. That Bud is able to retrieve the flyers helps propel him to take the leap of faith and journey to Grand Rapids to find the man he is convinced is his father. Ultimately, it is the hope symbolized by the flyers that help him find a home and a new family worthy of filling some of the hole his mother left in him when she passed away.