Mornin' Bear -
Symbolic ? Well, yes - in that the RETURN was symbolic of the complete and total contempt held for all that is considered by normal folk to be decent.
Hell - guess it wasn't even symbolic - it was just plain, outright, in your face, spit in the eye, bile.
Nothing 'symbolic' about it ... just like the 'bow' that wasn't a 'bow'. But couldn't bring himself to do it at Buckingham, could he ? Bow to everybody else, now - but that first one was the 'tell'.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good ...