Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
We already discussed how nobility is a sign of greatness in Augie March, but what about the opposite side of the spectrum? No need to fear, dirt is here. In this novel, dirt and dirtiness are images of poverty, criminality, and general disreputableness.
When Grandma Lausch accuses Augie of criminal behavior, she says to him:
You're in the streets and alleys with Klein, that hoodlum, learning to steal and every kind of dirt. (4.26).
Dirtiness later becomes a problem for Augie when he's trying to make it as a salesman. People don't trust him because of his dirty and torn clothes. They assume he's lost his grip on prosperity (9.35). Later, when he's trying to hitch a ride home, mud on him makes him look unsavory and unsafe (9.79).
Augie himself doesn't see dirtiness in this way. He knows his own worth, and when he compliments Mimi, he says "she could have lived in the desert wilderness for the sake of it, and have eaten locusts" (11.36). Uh…thanks?