Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory - Analysis, The Revolutionist | The Revolutionist- Summary, Themes & Characters - Novels PDF Download

Square of Oilcloth

The oilcloth square is the comrade's "ticket" on his journey. Some ticket, right? But it totally works. The kid has no money, but his handy little fabric swatch pays his way, helping him obtain food and shelter. It also serves as a form of identification. With a message from Communist HQ saying that the comrade suffered badly in Budapest, and requesting that comrades help him along his way, the square of oilcloth is basically a way for the young man to vouch for his identity in foreign lands, as well as tap into a network of support.

In other words, the square of oilcloth is part identification card, part political party membership card, part message from the head honchos, and part ticket for free food. On a more subtle level, though, the cloth is a reminder of just how alone this young man is in the world. He has very little to get by on but the square of oilcloth, and he's dependent on the kindness of strangers—otherwise there'd be no need for the note eliciting assistance for him. So is it a hook-up of sorts? Absolutely. But it's also only necessary because the comrade is so stinking alone.

Mantegna

In a story as short as "The Revolutionist," anything that gets mentioned more than once is trying to tell us something. And since Mantegna comes up three times—twice in reference to the comrades distaste for the painter and once in reference to the narrator's fondness for his work—dude's definitely doing some symbolic work. Want to know what, exactly, this is? Hop on over to the "Characters" section and read up about the comrade; we've got plenty to say about Mantegna over there.

Though Hemingway doesn't specify which Mantegna paintings the narrator admires and the young man abhors, here is one painting that's housed in Milan, which is the place the comrade is headed when the narrator recommends he check out Mantegna's work. Though the comrade has already made up his mind about Mantegna—which means he's seen the painter's pieces someplace beside Milan—it might be interesting to consider why the narrator would like this painting, as well as whether there's anything in it that seems like it would be off-putting to the comrade.

Italy

In contrast to his painful experiences in Budapest, Italy is a delight for the comrade. He finds the country "beautiful" (2) and the people "all kind" (2), and he also appreciates the art (minus Mantegna, of course). What's important, though, isn't so much that the comrade takes pleasure in his experiences in Italy, but that he delights despite how terrible the war has been for him. As much as political turmoil has created horrific experiences for the young man, it has also created life-enhancing ones, like the opportunity to explore Italy and walk the Swiss mountains.

What Italy does symbolically, then, in the story, is adds a layer of complexity to war. It makes it not simply bad or good, but instead a nuanced experience. Sure, a little art may not be proportionally wonderful to the horrors the young man has experienced, but it has made enough of an impression on him that he has purchased reproductions, which he carries with him. You know, just like the physical and emotional scars of war.