The True Language
The “true language” is the natural, unstructured language that the Child teaches to Ovid, representing a naturalistic worldview that sees the universe as one large, interconnected whole. Although Ovid refers it as a “language,”…
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The Gods
The gods represent transcendence from an individualist mindset and acceptance of the naturalistic worldview that the true language imparts. Ovid lives most of his life as a rationalist and a skeptic, resisting belief in any…
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The River Ister
The River Ister symbolizes the boundary between phases of life and understanding, which one must pass through to achieve personal transformation. Ovid dreams that the gods meet him on the river, signifying his potential to…
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Ovid’s Garden
The garden of wildflowers that Ovid plants outside of his hut is a minor symbol that represents playfulness as a healthy form of frivolity. Although Ovid lets go of his frivolous past while living in…
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