Metaphor for Old Social Ills
The two characters, Strangeman and Beatrice Dahl, are the in novel metaphors of worst aspects of humanity’s past: consumerism, greed, lust for power, and self-centeredness. In interacting with these characters, Dr. Kierans, is thrust into the horrific reality that humanity’s past was not all about technological marvels and scientific wonders, both of which have been largely eradicated. Remnants of man’s sordid past continue into the waterlogged future and fight with a tenacity that could mean that they will continue to be here to plague mankind for a couple of millennia more.
Metaphor for the Uncertainty of the Future and Humanity’s Decline
Dr. Kierans represents the uncertainty of the future of humanity. Humanity stands upon the precipice of either ruin or reemergence depending upon the collective response of the survivors. Mankind can chose to slowly rebuild their civilization despite the emergence of the nightmares; Dr. Kierans however choses to step down and return to nature---even if that means participating in the cycle of life as a potential prey item---and in doing this Dr. Kierans effectively becomes symbolic of humanity’s slow but certain decline.
Metaphor for Rebirth and Humanity’s Decline
The floodwaters that cover majority of mankind’s cities eventually pool together to form warm, brackish lagoons where enormous, primordial life forms spawn from. Over time, these reptiles begin to increase both in size and ferocity and over time they begin to prey upon surviving humans. Given the ability of these warm pools to birth new, monstrous forms of life as well as the language used to describe them make these pools and lagoons, they effectively become a metaphor for rebirth. Unfortunately though the rebirth that occurs is the rebirth of the age of giant reptiles marking the end of mankind’s era.
Metaphor for Man’s Powerlessness
Tropical plants now grow where previously they couldn't even survive. In time these plants grow into full-blown jungles and are populated by giant reptiles. The surviving humans, despite having access to technology and weapons, are powerless to halt the march of the forests into their strongholds. The jungles and the corresponding giant reptiles that reside in it eventually come to symbolize man’s powerlessness in the face of nature.
Metaphor for the Relentlessness of Life
It is interesting to note that many aspects of nature whether the flora, the weather, and even the topography of the land are described by characters as inimical to the continued existence of humanity. The author in fact takes this one step further and describes the Earth and the environment as if it were a living organism that was actively trying and conspiring to defeat mankind---or in the very least knock him off his perch as apex organism. Nature and every aspect of it therefore becomes a metaphor for the relentlessness of life and how it will refuse to bow to mankind’s whims.
