Summary and Analysis

The narrator recalls a map that was kept in his father's study. It was originally a giant wall covering, but had been folded up and put away. The map showed the entire city from above, with extreme attention to detail and artistry. It is a map that represents the boy's love for the city where he was raised. It is a representation of someone else's love for the city, as it once was. It also symbolizes how that love was packed away rather than being displayed. Like childhood is put away and forgotten. The neighborhood called the Street of Crocodiles is drawn economically, bare but for a few streets. In contrast to the rich detail of the old city, the relatively new district, called The Street of Crocodiles, is cheap, industrial and commercial. The story is a reproach to...