Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
The printing press is more than just a bunch of blocks used to create books, Shmoopsters. In this book, the press represents a whole lot—namely, freedom. When Theo—as Anton's apprentice—takes on an assignment from Musket, the cops crack down on him for printing things that could potentially harm the government. And by potentially harm the government, we are referring to totally benign things that have nothing to do with the government.
In other words, rules have been put in place to severely restrict printing in the name of deterring criminal activity—but the only thing actually being deterred are people's liberties, including freedom of speech. Check out this bit from the raid on Anton's printing press:
Anton was shouting and brandishing his inkdauber. The officer paid no heed. He halted in the middle of the shop. In a voice saturated with boredom, having made the same declaration so often that he knew it by rote, he informed Anton that all printing establishments were now, by Royal Warrant, subject to inspection.
"With the view," he went on, "to discover unlawful publications and criminal conduct—" (2.4-5)
The cops are performing these raids with such regularity that the officer actually sounds bored while explaining why he's there. This lets us know that printing presses are being strictly regulated all over the place, and all the time.
When Theo's printing press is destroyed, so is his way of life, so he assaults one of the soldiers invading his space—but this turns him into a fugitive, which only further alters his existence. This is even truer for Anton, who dies fleeing from the soldiers. Theo's entire world is upended, and he's forced to start from scratch in a new place with new people—and in this way, we can understand the printing press as not only representing freedom, but also the past.
Freedom of the press comes up again when Theo's spending time with Florian. Cabbarus wants to restrict what people can print so they don't spread opinions that differ from his own, and as a sign of his opposition to Cabbarus, Florian wants to install a few printing presses in his town—and he puts Theo at the head of this operation. Reopening printing presses is Theo's way of regaining personal agency, helping others express themselves too, and helping build a freer society. Check out this passage as an example:
"Cabbarus makes it his business to close print shops," Florian said. "We make it our business to open them. At least one, so far. When the king's officers tear down a press, we salvage a few pieces, like little birds picking up crumbs." (15.4)
One of the ways that Florian defies Cabbarus—and works toward the society he thinks everyone deserves—is by creating an underground printing press. By disseminating his own information, Florian not only flouts the chief minister, but also propagates his own message, and when he does, we see the press representing home and commitment to a brighter future to boot.