The Sunset Limited
The Sunset Limited is a real train. However, it's not a commuter train operating in New York, as in the play—it runs from New Orleans to California. Since the sun sets in the west (the destinatio...
Everlasting Life You Can Hold In Your Hand
In one of his key speeches, Black explains what everlasting life is. White's just denounced the idea that you don't have to die at some point, but Black responds by explaining what he really means:...
Gold in the Mine
At one point, Black pretends that he's relieved White isn't Jewish. When White asks Black if he has something against Jews, Black explains he's joking. But then he says: "The whole point of where t...
The Trick Bag
A trick bag is slang for a situation that initially seems innocent or based on good intentions, but turns out to be trap, involving, say, the blackmailing of a politician or extortion. But in this...
"Cecil"
When Black tells White that he knows Jesus is in the room with them—White sarcastically explains that this is crazy. He uses an illustration: "If you and I say that I have my coat on and Cecil sa...
Smoke in the Chimneys at Dachau
When White's explaining how the cultural things he used to have faith in have now lost their meaning, he uses an example from the Holocaust: "The things I believed in dont exist any more. It's fool...
Gears and Light
At one point, after White says he didn't go to his father's deathbed, he and Black have the following exchange: BLACK: …I just get more amazed by the minute, that's all. How come you cant see you...
Black's Conversion
Black's near-death conversion is a classic example of the conversion experience. Many people report their conversions occurring during their lowest and weakest point—and in Black's weakest moment...
Drunks Hiding Bottle
Black uses drunks hiding a bottle as an example of how human desire drives us to do ridiculous things, in general. Check it out:BLACK: Oh yeah. [The toilet's] a favorite place for drunks to hide a...
The Characters' Races
Often, black and white stand for evil and good, respectively. In The Sunset Limited, however, this gets inverted: Black is optimistic and believes in life, whereas White is pessimistic and believes...
Trying to Unravel the World
Black tells White that the unbeliever has a specific kind of problem: "Belief aint like unbelief. If you a believer then you got to come finally to the well of belief itself and then you dont have...
The Dozens
Black compares his argument with White to the dozens. What're the dozens? We'll let play explain:WHITE: What's the dozens?BLACK: Its when two of the brothers stands around insultin one another and...
Moral Leper Colony
This isn't exactly a symbol, but we're going to explain it briefly anyway because we have our explaining pants on. In regards to the ghetto Black lives in and the rest of the world, White tells Bla...
Good Food from Cheap Ingredients
Black asks White why French chefs like to cook, "Sweetbreads. Tripe. Brains. All that s*** they dont nobody eat"(100), and White says it's probably because they like a challenge, to which Black rep...
The Soul and the Servant of the Soul
When Black tells White that he once confessed the worst thing he ever did to a spiritual friend of his, he explains: "The soul might be silent but the servant of the soul has always got a voice and...
World as Forced Labor Camp
White discusses his particularly bleak view of the world with Black: "It's that the world is basically a forced labor camp from which the workers—perfectly innocent—are led forth by lottery, a...
Empty Forms
Before leaving Black's apartment and walking out to likely death, White explains the full depth of his despair to Black. He says: "The truth is that the forms I see have been slowly emptied out. Th...
Death Personified
At the very end of the book, White proclaims his ardent passion for death. Seriously—it's practically romantic for him. Check it out: "I know what is out there and I know who is out there. I rush...