The symbolism of the limp is that he does not feel adequate and that he feels out of place. It also shows his broken image of himself and of his self worth. This quote shows this: "he acquired movements and habits to disguise what to him was a burning defect" (Morrison 62).
In the mirror Milkman sees himself as handsome, but lacking coherence and decisiveness. He feels aimless and directionless in life. This is shown in the quote "it was all very tentative, the way he looked, like man peeping around a corner of someplace he is not supposed to be, trying to make up his mind" (Morrison 69-70).
Milkman's self of self identity is skewed because he realizes that his mother does not really love him but saw him as a toy, and that other than Guitar he starts questioning all his relationships and thinks he has no connection to anyone in his family. This is supported by the quote "Now he questioned them. Questioned everybody" (Morrison 79) and "His mother had been portrayed not as a mother who simply adored her only son, but as an obscene child playing dirty games with whatever male was near" (Morrison 79).
This must have severely damaged his sense of self identity and self worth, as he feels isolated and that nobody cared about him for who he was. This is supported by the quote "He wondered if there was anyone in the world who liked him. Liked him for himself alone" (Morrison 79).