WARNING: Spoilers for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Yellow shoes are a recurring visual motif in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, so what's the symbolic significance? The colorful kicks are a source of pride for the character Levee (Chadwick Boseman), yet they are also the reason for his tragic downfall in the climax of the Netflix film. Thematically, the yellow shoes correlate with the trumpeter's ego, along with his inability to truly capitalize upon a professional opportunity.

Portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman, Levee is the central figure in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He and his bandmates await the arrival of the titular character (a real-life blues legend portrayed by Viola Davis), and playfully tease each other while rehearsing. However, their conversations become heated while discussing religion, race, and the music industry, as Levee arrogantly dismisses the opinions and advice offered by Toledo (Glynn Turman), Cutler (Colman Domingo), and Slow Drag (Michael Potts). The trumpeter is repeatedly warned that pride comes before the fall, but all Levee can muster up in response is that "God can kiss my ass," or at least that seems to be the thesis for his collective commentaries in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Related: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: Real Life Levee & "Jelly Roll" Song Explained

In Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Levee's yellow shoes are the connective tissue for the overall storyline. First, he shows up late for rehearsal because he stops to buy the shoes and doesn't bother to apologize to anybody, which suggests a lack of professionalism. Levee then boasts about his yellow shoes, and continues to admire his purchase while the older gentleman prep for their upcoming performance with Ma. Boseman's character is immediately established as the outlier of the group, a young man who doesn't respect his peers, and is preoccupied with material pursuits. Levee has the talent and charisma to be a star, but he simply doesn't understand what it means to be a reliable professional.

Chadwick boseman Ma Rainey Black bottom door

Levee's bandmates try to warn him about looming back luck, and suggest that he's "excited to be a fool." As older, wiser Black men, they understand that Levee's recklessness can have dire consequences. Instead of heeding their advice, Levee becomes increasingly hostile and dismissive throughout Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. The trumpeter is indeed just one of the guys, but — crucially — he's the youngest member of the group who doesn't respond well to criticism. Furthermore he's arrogant, believing his big break is just around the corner. So, when Ma finally shows up and reminds Levee that she's in charge, the man with the yellow shoes mistakenly pushes back once again rather than following the established rules. Levee isn't wrong to have ambition, or to suggest that the music could be played differently, but he's unable to communicate his ideas without being dismissive of others. In Ma's band, that definitely won't fly. And it certainly won't be acceptable elsewhere.

The yellow shoes in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom bookend the storyline. They're initially introduced to establish Levee's foolish pride, and they later remind the character of his professional failures during the tragic climax. Levee views himself as a big star, someone who would wear flashy, expensive shoes — but his dreams crumble when studio boss Mel Sturdyvant (Jonny Coyne) rejects his music (though he will buy the songs for $5 a pop). So, when Toledo inadvertently steps on Levee's covered yellow shoes in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and scuffs the once-shining representation of the life Levee thought he would have, it fractures Levee's already fragile psyche. Powerless to stand up to the exploitive white studio owner Sturdyvant, because of the racial power dynamics, Levee misplaces his anger and frustration on a fellow Black musician. By placing so much importance on a pair of yellow shoes, Levee believed that he can play by his own rules and succeed in a system run by white men — on his own terms, without the help of people like Ma Rainey — but as the tragic final scenes show, he was wrong.

More: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Review: An Acting Showcase Led By Davis & Boseman