How does Thornton Wilder use imagery in The Skin of Our Teeth?

The imagery is consistent with the allegory of the narrative. In the case of The Skin of Our Teeth, the Antrobuses can be read as ordinary people (a middle-class American couple) and as allegorical figures (Adam and Eve, the progenitors of humankind). The action of the play can be viewed literally, as the experiences of a particular family, and allegorically, as the story of human history. Wilder, with both character names (such as Henry a.k.a. Cam and Sabina) and explicit comments, emphasizes the allegorical nature of his play.