The Roman Idols were a Symbol of Prosperity and Peace in a Household
In the house of Marcus Lelius, there were several idols that were household gods. These idols were venerated and worshiped by the members of the household because they were believed to cause good fortune to the house. Therefore when Alda who was a slave in the household broke them out of contempt, she was badly whipped by Marcus. This was because he believed that since they had been broken, misfortune would undoubtedly follow the homestead.
Allegory of an unfortunate day
The author builds an allegory for the day that Susanna was punished for failing to complete a piece of embroidery that she had been assigned by her mistress Lelia. The narrator says, ‘The autumn day appeared to hasten to its close earlier than usual, and the dusky shades of twilight at length darkened the lattices of the gloomy apartment.’ This statement is allegorical because just as the day had appeared to start out well, Susanna was respected by her mistress but as the day went on, it became gloomy such as Susanna’s relationship with her mistress Lelia worsened and she was badly punished for the mistake.
Journey motif
The novel contains a journey motif for the protagonist Alda for she faces trials and tribulations until her final triumph where she died for what she believed in. The narrator has told the story in such a way that we see Alda being brought to Rome, being enslaved, running away from her slavery and later converting other people into Christianity.
The East Symbolized Susanna’s Home
Susanna always looked to the East as the sun rose to pray about her city Jerusalem which now lay in ruins. She told Alda to take her to a place where she could face the sun and she prayed for her home. The compass direction was a symbol of her lost home as she had been taken captive and now lived in Rome. Anytime she missed her home, she always faced the East.
The Romans were a Symbol of terror
The Romans horrified Alda, Susanna, Pomponia and the other slaves in the household of Marcus Lelius. This was because the slaves associated them with acts of violence and unfairness. The Romans had acquired all their slaves as prisoners of war such as Alda. Alda had witnessed the death of her five brothers and her father as they fought the Romans. In addition, Christians in the time were also afraid of the Romans because the Emperor Nero was persecuting them.
