Previous
The Other/Dr. Valentine Ketterley
For much of the novel, 16 is a mysterious figure. All Piranesi knows of them is what the Other tells him: 16 is an enemy whose words will make Piranesi insane. As the story progresses, however, Piranesi becomes increasingly curious about 16’s identity, and after learning the truth about the Other, decides to team with them. Together, they take down the Other and 16 introduces herself as Raphael. A dark-haired police officer who’s around 40 years old, she explains how she came to discover Piranesi’s whereabouts and her journey to save him. Her story reveals her to be not only incredibly brave and resourceful, but also kind. Touring the House, she proves herself to be a true friend and kindred soul to Piranesi. Though she asks Piranesi to return home with her, she does not pressure him. A deeply, kind, sympathetic person, she understands the difficulty of the decision, and she promises to visit him no matter what he decides. Galvanized by her kindness and their emotional connections, Piranesi decides to accompany Raphael to the real world.
16/Raphael Quotes in Piranesi
The Piranesi quotes below are all either spoken by 16/Raphael or refer to 16/Raphael . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1 Quotes
And You. Who are You? Who is it that I am writing for? Are you a traveler who has cheated Tides and cross Broken Floors and Derelict Stairs to reach these Halls. Or are You perhaps someone who inhabits my own Halls after I am dead?
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Piranesi addresses the reader, the supposed “sixteenth” person of the world. Unlike the other people in his “list of all the people who have ever lived,” however, Piranesi does not know who the reader is, nor if they even exist. His knowledge of the word is limited to his observations, and though he can imagine there might be someone to read his journals, he is uncertain: as far as he knows, there have only ever been 15 people to inhabit the House, and only two are still living. His curiosity about the existence of another human being is thus Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae
Part 2 Quotes
So this, as far as I can tell, is what the birds told me. A message from Afar. Obscure Writing. Innocence eroded. Interesting. I will allow some time to elapse—say a few months—and then I will examine this communication again to see if the intervening events can shed any light upon it (and vice versa).
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Piranesi attempts to interpret a message from the birds. This is a testament to the strength of Piranesi’s bond with the animals of the House, not just in that he is able to understand them, but that also that they would choose to communicate with him in the first place. Clearly, they share the same feelings of interconnectedness that Piranesi does and see it as their duty to help him. Their shared lexicon of the House’s various statues proves essential in this venture, for it is through them the birds attempt to warn Piranesi of coming events, flying to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui qui. Qui similique praesentium. Ex consequatur magnam. Aliquid iste enim. Sequi aut maxime. Adipisci voluptate et. Voluptas suscipit al
“You said you met 16. But you also said 16 does not know the way here. Meaning that you must have met him in his own Hall or, at any rate, in some Remote Region. This surprises me because I do not believe you have undertaken any long journeys since I have known you.” I smiled at the Other, awaiting his answer, which I fully expected would be very interesting.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Piranesi exposes the logical holes in the Other’s narrative about his meeting with 16. In typical Piranesi fashion, however, he does not assume deception or ill-will on the part of the Other, but rather “smile[s],” patiently awaiting what he expects will be an “interesting” answer. It does not occur to him that to consider the possibility that the Other might be lying. As such, this moment highlights one of the core ironies of Piranesi’s character. While he is incredibly perceptive as a scientist, easily spotting the logical gaps in the Other’s story, he is radically unperceptive when it comes Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui
Part 4 Quotes
One sentence puzzles me: The world was constantly speaking to Ancient Man. I do not understand why this sentence is in the past tense. The World still speaks to me everyday.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Piranesi puzzles over the use of the past tense to describe how the world used to speak to “Ancient Man.” For him, the World is not a static backdrop, but a dynamic, lively force that takes an active role in his daily life. The notion that such a connection is a relic of the past does make sense to him: He speaks to the world “everyday,” and, from his perspective, it always speaks back. So deep is his sense of connection that Piranesi considers himself a child of the House; in a very literal sense, he sees the world Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae
Are you Matthew Rose Sorensen?
I am… I stuttered. I am…
At first I could get no further than this.
I am… I am the Beloved Child of the House.
Yes.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Emerging from the flashback induced by 16’s message, Piranesi attempts to answer her question: “Are you Matthew Rose Sorensen?” Though he does not explicitly say so, it is clear from the strength of his reaction, and the nature of the flashback, that he recognizes this name as his own—or at least, the name he used to go by. Despite this, Piranesi does not immediately embrace it as his own. Instead, the revelation sparks an identity crisis, exemplified by Piranesi’s inability to finish the sentence, “I am…” His past and present selves have collided, and while he has long known that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi qui
Part 6 Quotes
He had suffered. He had been alone with his enemy. It had been more than he could bear. Perhaps the Other had taunted him. Matthew Rose Sorensen had torn into pieces the description of his enslavement that he had written in his Journal and he had scattered the pieces in the Eighty-Eighth Western Hall. Then the House in its Mercy had caused him to fall asleep — which was by far the best thing for him — and it had placed him inside me.
0111
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The real nature of his identity confirmed, and the Other’s betrayal unmasked, Piranesi now knows the full story behind his presence within the House (Matthew Sorensen was kidnapped, and the Other later renamed him Piranesi). Thus equipped, Piranesi contemplates his relationship to his former self and the implications it has for him in the present. Most notably, though he sympathizes with Matthew Rose’s Sorensen’s plight—his “suffer[ing],” his anger, his madness—Piranesi still makes a point to distinguish Matthew from his present self. This is evident not only in his use of the third person to describe Matthew, but also in his Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Per
This annoyed me. ‘I do not see why you say I can only see a representation in this World,’ I said with some sharpness. ‘The word “only” suggests a relationship of inferiority. You make it sounds as if the Statue was somehow inferior to the thing itself. I do not see that that is the case at all. I would argue that the Statue is superior to the thing itself, the statue being perfect, eternal, and not subject to decay.’
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Piranesi’s challenges Raphael’s implied hierarchy between their two worlds, questioning her assumption that a representation is inherently inferior to the thing it represents. In fact, from his perspective, the statues (which represent various ideas and concepts), “being perfect, eternal and not subject to decay,” are superior to the things represent. This belief borrows heavily from the Greek philosopher Plato’s theory of forms, the idea that the physical, or real, world is less “true” than the eternal forms from which it is derived. Piranesi clearly agrees with this position, a product not only of his bias towards the House, but Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaqu
Get the entire Piranesi LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
16/Raphael Character Timeline in Piranesi
The timeline below shows where the character 16/Raphael appears in Piranesi. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1
...Child, whom Piranesi believes was once intended to be his wife. Last, Piranesi names the 16th person, “You,” the person he is writing for.
(full context)
...of writing on one’s mind, as well as the importance of passing on knowledge to “you,” the 16th person. Piranesi keeps multiple notebooks, one to track the Tides, one to catalog...
(full context)
Part 2
...is confused at this request, and the Other explains that he has met this sixteenth person—“16”—before and that they are his enemy. The Other reassures Piranesi that 16 does not know...
(full context)
Piranesi updates his journal entry for 16. The next day, Piranesi visits the First Vestibule, a place he rarely goes, despite it...
(full context)
Part 3
A few weeks later, Piranesi approaches an old man. Piranesi asks if he is 16, but the man is confused. Piranesi explains his numbering system, listing the dead people, like...
(full context)
...discovery: prison. He then tells Piranesi how “this world was made,” claiming that, in his youth, he realized that the wisdom of the ancients—allowing men to fly, etc.— had been lost,...
(full context)
...here. He tells Piranesi that someone is searching for him. Piranesi asks if it is 16, which the man confirms uncertainly.
(full context)
Piranesi says the Other claimed 16 was after him, not Piranesi. The man says denies this, claiming Ketterley is an egoist....
(full context)
...Piranesi tries to interpret the Prophet’s various claims, like his claim that he is not 16 and that he sent others here. Piranesi wonders if the Prophet is from a distant...
(full context)
...him about the Prophet, but the Other interrupts before he can. He tells Piranesi that 16 is actually looking for Piranesi, and that 16 will tell him horrible things that will...
(full context)
Piranesi practices hiding from 16, noting how his faded clothing makes for good camouflage amid the statues. The next day,...
(full context)
Part 4
...to reveal his encounter with the Prophet and the Other is already on edge about 16’s arrival. The following morning, Piranesi smells a strong perfume emanating from a doorway. He traces...
(full context)
...does not react as badly as expected. Instead, he calmly states his intention to eliminate 16. Piranesi is taken aback. The Other also demands that Piranesi tell him if he ever...
(full context)
...He has only ever used white chalk, meaning this must be someone else’s. Piranesi suspects 16 and discovers directions in chalk to the First Vestibule. He follows them, finding nothing. Returning,...
(full context)
...with a feeling of disquiet. Following a distant sound, he discovers the Other searching for 16, calling him “Raphael.” Piranesi hides himself and the Other drops the torch. In the darkness,...
(full context)
The next day, Piranesi asks the Other why he did not say 16 was a woman. The Other explains that Piranesi, while a man of reason, is also...
(full context)
...but he is unconcerned: he won’t be “here” for the convergence. Piranesi shows concern for 16, being a non-resident of the House, and says he does not want her to drown....
(full context)
Piranesi decides to warn 16 of the flood. Walking to the Sixth North-Western Hall, he hopes she has not left...
(full context)
Piranesi repeats 16’s question in his mind, saying, “I am…” Finishing the statement, he says, “I am the...
(full context)
Part 6
...Worlds when they wrote their respective journal entries. Piranesi also reflects on the actions of 16 and realizes that she is looking for him, not the Other. Not only this, but...
(full context)
...possessions in high places out of reach of the flood. Lastly, he goes to collect 16’s bowls. Along the way, he encounters a bag containing a gun, several paddles, and an...
(full context)
Piranesi wakes with nerves on the day of the flood. Determined to find and protect 16 from the flood, he searches the Halls around the First Vestibule. He does not find...
(full context)
...gradually the Other catches on. Piranesi reveals that he now remembers “Battersea” and has read 16’s message. The Other is shocked and angry, asking: “Matthew, how stupid do you think I...
(full context)
...get into the boat, but the Other does not listen and continues shooting. Piranesi and 16 hide behind a statue to shield them from the Other’s bullets. With the sound of...
(full context)
Piranesi and 16 wait out the Tides, not speaking. Slowly, the water recedes, and Piranesi addresses 16, saying...
(full context)
Raphael suggests they return home but Piranesi says he is already home. Raphael explains he has...
(full context)
Raphael asks if Piranesi would return home to see Matthew’s family. Piranesi says not now, citing...
(full context)
...explaining that Matthew lives inside him, and that Piranesi will take good care of him. Raphael returns but rejects Piranesi’s idea. She asks what she should call Piranesi, but he is...
(full context)
Piranesi reveals that he has met Laurence, which shocks Raphael. She does not understand why Laurence did not offer to help Piranesi leave, but Piranesi...
(full context)
Piranesi and Raphael discuss the differences between their worlds. Piranesi is offended by her suggestion that the statues...
(full context)
The next day, at Raphael’s request, Piranesi gives a tour of his favorite places in the labyrinth—something he has always...
(full context)
While on their tour, Raphael expresses how much she likes it here, saying there are “no people.” Surprised, Piranesi asks...
(full context)
On his final day, Piranesi retrieves his hair ornaments, braiding them back into his hair. Raphael seems surprised by his new appearance. Piranesi takes his messenger bag with him and walks...
(full context)
Part 7
...this as evidence of a mental breakdown, as does Piranesi/Matthew’s family. Changing topics, they discuss Raphael, both applauding her for her work. Piranesi/Matthew does not dispute Askill’s claim that Raphael found...
(full context)
...Arne-Sayles. This is something Matthew would do, plus no one knows Arne-Sayles like he does. Raphael has taught Piranesi/Matthew how to travel to the labyrinth by himself. A week prior, he...
(full context)
...throne. His weight threatens to break it, but the pope is pleased by his repulsiveness. Raphael is represented by two statues: one of a protector queen, the other of an S...
(full context)
...home. Upon waking, he realizes he is not “home,” but “here.” Piranesi walks to meet Raphael. It begins to snow, and the cars make a noise which reminds him of the...
(full context)
