Everything on here is purely symbolic and nothing more.

The Symbolism Explained

Main Character/Ylana/Dulcinea

A woman striving to find peace and balance in her fractured life. She is bitter and angry with herself. She believes that she has been a fool.

Princess/Gretchen

The princess is the main character's belief and faith in love, which has taken a serious wound.

The Castle

The main character's soul. The conflict is within her.

The Gown

A burial dress. Even in her bitter state, the main character respects the beauty of her princess and wishes to preserve it.

The Poisoning

A non-violent act of death. It might be interesting to note that the Greek word for death originally meant "separation".

Don Quixote/Doctor Faust

A man, very much like the main character herself, trying to choose between the forces and desires in his own life. He was once a very dear friend to the main character and disappeared for reasons that can only be guessed at.

Man in the Field

Someone who only sees his labor until forced to see otherwise. He's a decent sort, but a bit cranky when he's interrupted.

The Innkeeper

A very busy person, who notices a great deal when he takes a pause in his busy life. Enjoys people, but that enjoyment leaves little time for himself.

Byron

A fellow seeker. His idealism is still intact, but he knows there is something missing in life - direction.

The Pilgrimage

The main character's desire to find closure and peace.

The City

The World. The Rat Race. The rest of humanity.

The Two Men

Dreamers or visionaries. People who seek to make a mark on the world that others would see as noble.

The Great Endeavor

Humanity's attempt to justify itself in its own eyes.

The Tree

Inadequate place of shelter. Gives more of a psychological comfort than actual comfort.

The Creature

Someone who's main goal is physical gratification and wants to make the main character into something similar. Misery wants company. Whether or not he wants more, as Josh thinks, is debatable.

Josh and Mabel

People who are more and willing to help after the fact, but do nothing to prevent th harm from coming in the first place. They believe they are doing their duty to God and their fellow man, but have become addicted to their "noble" view of themselves. There is a sense of empowerment when we can help someone else, but when we allow the harm to happen on a re-occuring basis, we are part of the problem. It may be a form of Munchauser (sp?) Syndrome, where people set up situations so they can appear to be heroic to gain praise and attention.

The River

A major obstacle in the main charater's life. The traditional way of overcoming this obstacle (the broken bridge) has failed.

The Trail

The general approach to the problem, based more on panic than wisdom and forethought. The ruts represent just that - ruts. The tried and true isn't always the best.

The First Ferryman

Someone who wants a family to fit in or prove his virility. Not really interested in a spiritual union, just the appearance of one. Wants to be the one in control. The main character has already lived a sham similar to this and has children of her own who, according to our sources, were camping with their cousins during this pilgrimage.

The Second Ferryman and His Family

An example of a good marriage, where husband and wife are equal partners. Also people who help without ulterior motives.

The Woman

A wise person - keeper of the Spring of Peace and Healing. The deeper, reflective part of the main character.

The Spring

Peace and healing. A restorative of faith in one's self.

The Horse

A more effective way of traveling. Freedom from guilt.

The Resurrection

The revival of faith and hope.

The Integration of Dulcinea and Gretchen

The act of accepting the disfranchised parts of one's self.

The Thistle

A desire to communicate when there is no way to effectively do so. Thistle seeds are larger than most floating seeds and would hopefully be able to travel a further distance.