Importance of dust

Dust in Englander’s narrative symbolizes a disregard for, or perceived lack of value of, the thing it covers. Things described as covered in dust include the face of a newly made corpse (79), the General’s prized, ivory rifle (103), and a hamlet of Ruthi’s childhood that no longer exists as such (215). Something dusty is something disregarded. Though someone might care for a dusty object, the dust covering it symbolizes worthlessness. The General reinforces this understanding of dust as a symbol by saying, “Set this house as well. When we leave, I want it to be nothing but dust” (84). The General imagines that dust is literally nothing, as in it has no value and is of no substantial material; dust is inconsequential.