Education
The major allegory of The Education Of Henry Adams. Henry Adams's concept of education is more about the “process” of education rather than the results. In the 19th century, Adams sees schools as having failed the idea of “education”. Only by living one's life and naturally learning can one become “educated”. To Adams, school, jobs, travel, and technology are all parts of education, but “education” is always something intangible. Throughout the book and his life, Adams constantly returns to the concept of “education” and how it develops in his mind. Adams believes it is only this complicated concept of “education” which can guide humanity forward.
Darwinism/Marxism
The two most dominate scientific and ideological systems of the 19th century which Adams constantly returns to through the book. Both to Adams represent the untamed development of human thought. To Adams, religion has failed and a scientific understanding of the world has become dominate. Like many other things in the 19th century, Adams feels education has failed him by not educating him about these two most defining systems of the late-1800's and early-1900's. To Adams, Marxism parallels the exponential technological growth of humanity in the 1800's. It is a system which emerged in reactions to the technological forces Adams observes. Darwinism Adams sees as a reaction to the social and scientific forces which exploded in the 1800's. Both these systems Adams sees as larger symbols of the small changes he incrementally observes through his life.
Pteraspis
A primordial fish—the first vertebrate—is a creature Adams contemplates again and again throughout the book. Adams finds a parallel between him and the ancient creature. Like the archaic creature, Adams feels he is an outdated creature in the modern world. Seeing such radical change, Adams feels, like the Pteraspis, he is a stable creature but has failed to evolve like the extinct creature. When Adams thinks about the fish, he feels the actual past is as ephemeral as the creature. Both are totally alien to him. In this way, the Pteraspis is the opposite symbol to Darwinism/Marxism. It is a cornerstone of all life and evolution but represents a shared origin. As Adams believes religion has failed to inspire the 19th century, he looks to the Pteraspis as the ultimate origin.
Evolution
Another defining concept of the 19th century, but Adams conceives of evolution in another way. Adams sees all of society, life, and the planet as evolving in someway. Unlike others though, Adams does not see evolution as an absolutely positive force. Evolution brings with it both development and decay. Adams fears the incredibly fast development of technology will bring about an equal decay in culture. In this way, evolution is another exponential force which places an already unstable society in more danger.
The Dynamo
A symbol Adams discovers at the Exposition Universelle in 1900 in Paris. Adams sees the dynamo, or engine, as the symbol of technology. Adams believes the dynamo is the dominate symbol of America and of the 1900's. It is the symbol of technological domination. While an emblem of power, Adams feels the dynamo is empty artistic value or creativity. In this way, dynamo finds an opposite symbol in the “Virgin” or Adams symbol for artistic development. For Adams, the dynamo is the symbol of never ending change in society. As with society, Adams, never educated on the dynamo, fears he will never be able to understand the world. The factory has replaced the church as being the dominate building of civil society.
The Virgin
Adams's opposite symbol to the “dynamo”. The virgin is the symbol of the past, art, and Europe. Unlike the dynamo, it emerges from human emotion and sensation. Adams finds the virgin in the Gothic cathedrals of Europe. These churches represent feminine life to Adams instead of the sterile, masculine power of the dynamo. Their structure reaches for infinity (or God) instead of generating infinity (or power). Adams though knows, in the 19th century, the virgin can no longer dominate culture. The warm embrace of religious culture has been replaced by industrial capitalism. The nations of the world are no longer truly united by shared religion. While there is knowledge to be found in the church, it can no longer rule the world.
