Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Anyone remember Greek mythology? Ky tells Cassia the story of Sisyphus, a powerless Aberration who nonetheless rebelled against Society in small ways. He says:
"The Society decided they needed to give Sisyphus a punishment, a special one, because he dared to think he could be as clever as one of them." (21.29)
Sisyphus was punished by having to push a heavy rock up to the top of a hill—one that rolled back down every time he got close—"'He never got the rock to the top. He went on pushing forever'" (21.33). Ugh, right? Right.
This symbol's pretty straightforward—the allegory represents rebellion against Society—but we think it also contains an element of hope. No matter how bad things get, it's always worth it to fight for what's right, even if you're never quite going to get there. It's just a hunch, but we think this story will come back into play in future books.