The Hunches
It might be assumed from the title that the Hunches symbolize gut feelings about something. You know: like a hunch? In fact, the Hunches are the symbolic manifestations of the possible outcome for any set problem presenting a number of possible outcomes. As in, should I go outside and play or stay inside and get my homework done.
Head Hands
The Hunches are a quite distinctive species of Seussian character. Notice that each of them are equipped with a hat that forms a hand. This could easily be overlooked as simply an idiosyncratic creative choice, but the reality is that the hands serve an important symbolic function. Every decision one makes represents a direction their life will take. Even as simple a choice as deciding to go the bathroom has the potential for significant consequences that will mark the direction one takes. Most of the Hunches have a hand that always point in the direction they are traveling. The notable exception is Spookish Hunch who not only has a hat with two hands pointing in opposite directions but is holding an extra set also pointing in opposite directions. These extras hands symbolize the frightening aspect of not knowing which direction to take when making a decision.
The Dead End Road
The indecision represented by Spookish Hands creates a fantasy illustration in which the narrator imagines where taking such advice would have ending up. He and his dog are poised at the end of a strange modernistic elevated road supported by monstrous modern art figures of human beings. The effect of this image in its entirety is strangely disquieting and thus perfectly suited for its placement as a symbol of making choices without taking into account a full consideration of where you might wind up.
The Worn Rug
The worn circular rug, on the other hand, symbolizes exactly the opposite. Trying to go in too many directions at once by deciding on a single course of action can land you in a dead end, but perhaps even worse is not making any decision at all. This will result in just circling around the point until you’ve worn away any potential for any decision at all to come up positive. It is a waste of time and if transformed into a metaphor it would be a rug worn down to its frays.
Multiple Narrators
Eventually the narrator realizes that listening to the Hunches is not going getting him anywhere and in order to make up his mind he needs to clone himself into multiple versions with each representing one possibly decision and direction to take. After much discussion amongst themselves, a final decision is reached. The image illustrating this process is one of the most suggestive in the entire book and helps to cement how this process of division and argument symbolizes the daily process of prioritizing immediate wants, unpleasant demands, physical needs, and long-term desires as part of the complicated machinery of decision-making.
