Money and wealth
The whole novel is centered on the idea of money and wealth, and how such things influence those who have them and those who don’t. What is consistent from the first chapter of the novel is the idea that wealth and superiority are connected, almost synonyms. Especially in the first part of the novel that is set in the 19th century, money and wealth is a metaphor for superiority while the lack of it is a metaphor for inferiority.
Insomnia
Julian is unable to fall asleep; thus, he resorts to using dangerous methods in order to fall asleep. His inability to fall asleep is used here as a metaphor that stands for Julian’s dissatisfaction and realization that there is something wrong with the world he lives in. Julian is aware of the wealth gap that exists in his time and that is the cause of many problems in his time and while he tries to do everything he can to solve it, he knows that he will never be able to do it alone. His peers however have no problem ignoring it and living their lives in comfort and luxury unaffected by the fact that many are suffering. Julian is unable to slip into ignorance as the other around him and this is also suggested by his persistent insomnia.
Industrialization and religion
The narrator draws a parallel between the way religion and industrialization were treated in the 19th century and pointed out that between the two there was a similarity. In fact, the narrator points out how the people worshiped the industrialization and treated it almost like a God. The people refused to believe that something could be better and considered it as being the end of the road to progress.
Cleansing
The fire is another important element in the novel because it is used as a metaphor. In literature, fire is often used as a metaphor for cleansing and purifying a person or a place. Through fire, all evil things are destroyed and a person is free to continue living his or her life without fearing that their past will somehow intervene with their future. Julian is cleansed by the fire that destroyed his home and he is freed by the ties he had with his past. Because of the fire, he is free to live his life in the 20th century without having to worry about his past.
Metaphor for evil
Money is considered in this novel as being the root of all evil. Neither an excessive amount of money nor lack of money is considered as being something positive. Money is seen as being the reason why people commit crimes and get involved in risky businesses. Thus, money is used here as a metaphor for evil; the only way to solve the problems caused by money is to eliminate it completely from society.
