(p. 18) “The walls are cracked and water
runs upon them in thin threads without
sound, black and glistening as blood.”
Water represents the mystery of creation, the cycle of death, and rebirth. The color black is a color of mystery and the unknown. The Home of the Street Sweepers is a mystery to Equality. He doesn’t understand why things happen. The water and the color black symbolize his felling towards this home.
(p. 18) “It matters only that the light is
precious and we should not waste it to
write when we need it for that work
which is our crime.”
As a source of light, the candle represents creative energy and spiritual enlightenment. Equality’s life is, indeed, precious. His courage to write a journal took more power than anyone one at that time had. Equality was a source of light or knowledge for the world. His creative energy gave him the power.
(p. 20) “The sleeping halls were white
and clean and bare of all things save
one hundred beds.”
This exact quote is mentioned three times in the book, on page 20, 21, and 28. The color white represents the purity and cleanliness of the room. On page 90, the author states,
“We found the sleeping hall and we stood in
awe upon its threshold. For it was a small
room and there were only two beds in it.”
When Liberty and Equality find this house in the forest, it is an amazing discovery. When Ayn Rand states this exact quote three times, she is expressing that we need to realize the incredible amount of sharing that these men did. Sharing a room with one hundred other
men is a difficult task, but when they find a room with only two beds, they are shocked.
The room is also very dirty and dusty, unlike his old sleeping hall.
(p. 21) “We looked upon Union 5-3992,
who were a pale boy with only half a bran,
and we tried to say and do as they did…”
Pale can be interpreted as white. White means purity and innocence. Union was innocent. Union was not as smart as all the other boys. He kept to himself and didn’t talk much.
(p. 23) “We think that there are
mysteries in the sky and under the
water and in the plants which grow.”
Water represents the mystery of creation, the cycle of death, and rebirth. The plants are a symbol of the life principal-growth, fertility, creativity, and regeneration. The water is a specific example of Equality’s feelings toward life and earth. It is a mystery to him. His
growth from adolescence has been a difficult task. It’s been hard growing up and not knowing who he is or what his purpose was.
(p. 24) “Scholars must study the earth
and learn from the rivers, from the sands,
from the winds, and from the rocks.”
Rivers embody the transitional phases of life and the flowing of time into eternity. The Scholars learn from the river, hence they learn the ways during the flow through time. The Scholars are through the river.
(p.30) “Beyond the ravine there is a
plain, and beyond the plain there is a
Uncharted Forest, about which men
must not think.”
The forest represents the unconscious, mystery, and darkness. No one has ever dared to enter the Unchartered Forest and live to tell the story. To all, the forest is a mystery. To some, it is unknown. They blocked it out of their mind. They believed that the forest was
evil and demonic, thus, they stayed away from it.
(p. 31) “Of a sudden the earth fell in
before us, and we saw an old iron grill
over a black hole.”
When Equality and International found this black hole, it was an open door to solve the unknown. The color black represents mystery and the unknown. This hole was like nothing that they had ever seen. It was unknown and it was a mystery.
(p. 32) ” But we could not follow, for
we were losing the puddle of light
behind us.”
Once Equality entered the hole, it was very difficult for him to see because it was so dark. Light represents the conscious and the known. When Equality was losing the the light behind him, he was entering a new world. A world of the unknown and full of mysteries. Once he began to lose sight of the light, he had to turn around and go back to the light, the world of the known.
(p. 38) “Women work in the fields, and
their white tunics in the wind are like the
wings of seagulls beating over the black
soil.”
When Equality first lays sight on Liberty, he is breathless. She was like nothing that he has ever seen. She was of pure beauty and innocence. This is demonstrated with with the usage of the word white. White represents innocence and purity.
(p. 42) “And the drops of water falling
from their hands, as they raised the water
to their lips, were like sparks of fire in
the sun.”
Water represents the mystery of creation, the cycle of death, and rebirth. When Equality meets Liberty, she started a new life for him. It was a rebirth. He found a new reason for life. He found Liberty.
(p. 47) “And beyond the city there lies
a plain, and beyond the plain, black upon
the black sky, there lies the Uncharted
Forest.”
This forest must be very mysterious. Not only is it referred to as black, which represents mystery, it is also a forest, which represents the unconscious. To everyone, this forest is a mystery to all and it is unknown, hence causing more wonder. The people believed that whoever dared to enter it was sure to die.
(p. 58) “He blew out the candle.
swallowed us.”
Darkness Darkness represents mystery, the unknown, chaos, and evil. When Equality burned out this candle, he blew out his knowledge of what he knew. The darkness represents this. He was know in a world of chaos and evil. Unable and not knowing how or why anything happens.
(p. 61) “… and they would destroy us
and our light.”
Light represents the known. By taking away Equality’s knowledge, he is destroyed and has nothing else to live for. Equality’s light is an archetype which which symbolizes his knowledge.
(p. 66) “The light… The light… The
light…”
Again we see another reference to light. Light is a very important prospect of this novelette because the characters in this book had nothing. Their only possession was knowledge, what little they had of it. Without their knowledge, their existence had no purpose. They were just there to be slaves for the council.
(p. 68) “It is dark here in the forest.”
This is the first time Equality and Liberty have ever been to the forest. It is dark and mysterious. It is unknown to them. This is demonstrated by the usage of the word dark. Once again, we see the author expressing the mysterious forest. She does this to enhance our thoughts and pictures of the forest. When we picture a forest, she doesn’t want us to merely see trees, she wants us to see the negative features of the forest, the darkness and isolation.
(p. 71) “Let us bring a new light to
men!”
Equality is conscious of the evils of the city. He understands that others are not so fortunate. By using “new light,” he is showing that he wants open the world’s eyes and show them what it has to offer.
(p. 75) “Trees taller than we ever
seen before stood over us in great
silence.”
The tree is a symbol of the life principal-growth, fertility, creativity, and regeneration. The usage of tree symbolizes Equality’s life with Liberty. After meeting her, he unlocked the door to himself and he became free. He has transformed and become a new man or rebirth.
(p. 79) “… as an arrow at a bird…”
A bird symbolizes imagination and because birds are associated with air, they represent spiritual transcendence. When Liberty and Equality escape from the city, they enter a new world, a world they know nothing about. It’s become a imaginary place, hence the usage of a bird.
(p. 82) “Their white tunic was torn…”
White is a color of purity and innocence. When Liberty was back at the city, she always did what she was told to do, but, of course, she wasn’t taught differently. After she left to go to the woods with Equality and never return, she lost her innocence and she became a new woman. This is shown by the usage of “torn, white tunic.”
(p. 88) “…crossing a chain of mountains.”
Mountains are a point of contact between the earth and the sky. Their journey to the mountain top corresponds to the struggle for spiritual elevation and intellectual achievement.
(p. 88) “We climbed paths…”
The path is a passageway between the real world and the inner self. Since this symbolic passageway usually requires sacrifice and risk, it often occurs as a mountain path. Liberty’s and Equality’s quest is coming to an end because they are almost to the end of the path. This journey was actually a search for freedom and knowledge.
(p. 92) “We brought water from the
stream.”
A stream represents the flowing time into eternity. This is used to show that Equality and Liberty loved each other very much and that they would, most likely, be together forever.
(p. 94) “I stand here on the summit of
the mountain…”
The mountain represents the point of contact between the earth and the sky. Equality has discovered the one most powerful word, I. This is a revelation to him, a new discovery. He can do anything now. He knows the forbidden word. That single, yet powerful, word, “I”.
(p. 104) “Through all the darkness…”
Darkness symbolizes mystery and the unknown. He realizes that all the struggles that he went through, it was worth it. He was finally free to be himself. He now new who he was and he felt that he could conquer anything, even the world.