Names

Names in the novel symbolize the shifting perceptions of identity. As Piranesi encounters and learns more about other people, his names and labels for them change. For example, he first thinks of the other person simply as the Other, but then he learns that the Other’s name is Ketterley. These dynamics apply to Piranesi himself, as his identity and relationship to his surroundings change.

Birds

Birds in the novel symbolize the symbiotic connections between Piranesi and the labyrinth. Piranesi feels that he can communicate with the birds, and that they communicate with him by giving him signs and portents. By contrast, the other characters do not have such connections, perhaps because they have less regard for the natural world.

Water

Water in the novel symbolizes both the dangers and the life-giving power of nature. Piranesi subsists in large part on the fish that he harvests...