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Part 1
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Piranesi, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Human vs. Inhuman Worlds
Science and the Pursuit of Knowledge
Memory and Identity
Friendship, Betrayal, and Loyalty
Summary
Analysis
Piranesi meets the “Other” in the Second Western Hall. He tells Piranesi the subject of his research today is Piranesi himself, and he asks Piranesi what he can remember. Citing his deep knowledge of the House, Piranesi claims to remember everything. The Other asks him if he remembers “Batter-sea,” confusing Piranesi; he does not believe such a word exists. Then Piranesi laughs, realizing that the Other is simply testing him to make sure he is not lying about what he does remember; “Batter-sea” is a “control question.” Laughing, the Other admits this is true.
Again, the reliability Piranesi’s memory comes into question, though here it is the Other who is testing him. The Other’s motivations for this are unclear, but it’s implied that the Other knows something that Piranesi doesn’t, and which he perhaps should—namely, what “Batter-sea” is.. Piranesi may maintain that his memory is perfect, but this shows readers that this isn’t actually true.
Themes
The Other asks what happened to Piranesi’s broken glasses; Piranesi explains he is experimenting with different methods of repairing them. A Tide crashes in the Hall below, and the Other anxiously asks if they should leave. Piranesi reassures him, but the Other is still nervous. Piranesi explains that the Other was once carried away by the Tides, almost drowning; since then, he has been afraid of them. Piranesi reassures the Other that the Tides will not affect them. In the evening, Piranesi goes to fish alone. As he casts his net, he has a series of visions, seeing “scribbles” and strange lights and hearing loud noises. They seem related to “Batter-sea,” but they fade before Piranesi can get any clarity.
The mystery surrounding Piranesi’s’ memory deepens. Though at the time of the Other’s test Piranesi failed to recognize the word “Batter-sea,” the word seems to spark a delayed reaction in Piranesi. Akin to a flashback, he experiences a range of sensations. In addition to suggesting the possibility of suppressed or lost memories, this event also raises ominous questions about the Other’s test. Namely, what does the Other know about “Batter-sea,” and what are his motivations for testing Piranesi?
Themes
Piranesi recounts a story from the past Winter. Collecting seaweed for fuel and food, he sees a “white, shining cross” in the sky which he recognizes as an Albatross. As it nears, Piranesi wonders whether he and the Albatross are meant to “merge” and become an angel. The Albatross passes over him, and Piranesi feels a release of tension. The bird lands and Piranesi welcomes it. The next day, Piranesi returns to find a second Albatross— the original’s mate. Seeing them struggle to build a nest, he provides them with seaweed; though seaweed is valuable, he wants to honor the new members of the House. The Albatross give birth to a chick and Piranesi names the year after the Albatross.
Despite the potentially high personal cost, Piranesi does not hesitate to give his seaweed to the Albatross couple as supplies for their new nest. This is a testament not only to his generosity and kindness, but also his love for his fellow Inhabitants of the House. Guided by his belief in the interconnectedness of the House’s many creatures, he sees it his duty to welcome and provide for the Albatross, just as he would the Other.
Themes
Piranesi wakes to find a cloud has entered the Hall he is sleeping in. This is a result of the ceiling having collapsed two years prior. The cloud’s presence makes the space chill and grey, and Piranesi notes the absence of birds. He finds them in a different hall, perched on statues. Piranesi describes the “Drowned Halls,” halls which, being full of broken masonry and collapsed roofs, have filled up with rain. Piranesi claims these are good for fishing, particularly beneath the moon.
Despite its seemingly magical nature, the House appears to experience the same kind of decay that buildings in the normal world do. However, this decay also introduces new opportunities and experiences for its inhabitants, like the opportunity to fish in the Drowned Halls.
Themes
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Piranesi describes how he used to fear the Tides. Though he sensed there was a pattern to them, he did not yet understand it. Out of hunger, however, he was forced to explore, eventually discovering the surplus of fish in the Drowned Halls. Piranesi recounts how once, having not eaten in two days, he ascended to the Upper Halls to fish in the Drowned Halls. On his way, however, he gets turned around and finds himself in an unfamiliar, fog-filled Hall with gruesome, violent statues. Piranesi carefully treads across the Hall, but accidentally steps into open air. He clings to a statue and pulls himself up. The next day the fog clears, and Piranesi sees a Drowned Hall several dozen meters below.
Piranesi describes his previous struggles to survive in the House. This contextualizes Piranesi’s deep knowledge of the House and its various wonders and dangers. While Piranesi undoubtedly enjoys learning for the sake of learning, his knowledge of the House is also clearly a product of necessity: had he not learned to fish or navigate or predict the Tides, he likely wouldn’t have survived this long. This begs the question of how the Other has managed to survive as long as he has. Though a scientist in his own right, he is the first to admit that Piranesi’s practical knowledge of the House far surpasses his own.
Themes
Piranesi tells another story, this one about the birds that occupy the House. Though typically Piranesi thinks of them as unintelligent, on certain occasions they have shown remarkable insight. Piranesi describes how they once instructed him to collect extra food by flying to different statues representing “industriousness.” The next day, an unexpected storm wiped out his food supply, and Piranesi was glad to have the extra food. Piranesi hypothesizes that bird intelligence is collective, and with this in mind, he interprets another message. The birds land on several statues with ambiguous meanings, making this message far more complicated than the last. Piranesi interprets the message as: A message from afar. Obscure Writing. Innocence eroded.
Though Piranesi has long claimed to be able to communicate with the other entities in his world —skeletons included—this is the first real proof that his communications are more than one-sided. Using their shared knowledge of the statutes, the birds warn Piranesi of a coming storm, telling him to gather extra food in advance. This prediction proves accurate, and Piranesi is saved from several days of starvation. This is a testament to Piranesi’s deep bond with the House and its inhabitants. Their ambiguous message, though, again asks readers to question if something dark lurks in Piranesi’s world.
Themes
The Other prepares to perform a ritual designed to transfer the “Great and Secret Knowledge” to him and Piranesi. Piranesi asks to stay, and the Other asks only that he remain quiet. The Other explains his intention to summon the spirit of Addy Doramus, a dead king who supposedly possessed the knowledge. Piranesi asks which of the dead Addy is, and the Other grows annoyed, confused by the question. The Other practices the ritual, naming each of the powers desired, such as immortality, invisibility, and flight. Piranesi expresses disinterest in all powers except the last. Looking dissatisfied, the Other says he should be performing the ritual for some powerful energy source.
Here, the Other seeks to channel the energy of the House to gain magical powers. Exploitative and one-sided, this approach differs dramatically from Piranesi’s, and it hardly seems a coincidence that he fails where Piranesi has so recently succeeded. This suggests that magic of the House might not be equally accessible to everyone, or at least not to those who seek only to exploit it.
Themes
The Other complains at the lack of living things in the House. Piranesi privately disagrees, thinking of many counter-examples. He suggests the Other perform the ritual for a star, and the Other agrees but laments the repetitious nature of the House. Piranesi takes offense, but he says nothing. Instead, he tells the Other of a Hall with only one Doorway and no Windows and a powerful aura. The Other asks Piranesi to take him there but is disheartened to discover how far it is. The Other asks what stars are visible from the Hall, but Piranesi cannot remember. The Other promises Piranesi a pair of shoes for the journey if he collects information for him.
This passage underscores the contrast between Piranesi and the Other’s views of the House. While the Other sees it as largely empty and boring, Piranesi see it as vibrant and full of life. Though Piranesi does not overtly contradict the Other in this, he is clearly bothered by the disagreement. This is the first sign thus far of discontent in Piranesi’s relationship with the Other.
Themes
Piranesi finds a cardboard box labeled “AQUARIUM” with a pair of shoes in it. They fit perfectly, and Piranesi is content. Piranesi lists the other things provided by the Other during their time together, including a sleeping bag, fishing nets, matches, multivitamins, various foodstuffs, notebooks, office supplies, and bowls. Piranesi is grateful for these gifts, but he wonders why the House gives them to the Other and not him. Perhaps, Piranesi reflects, the House knows that the Other would die without such assistance.
This passage highlights one of the core ironies of Piranesi’s character. While incredibly perceptive and probing when interpreting natural phenomena, Piranesi proves radically unperceptive in his reading of the Other. For readers, the Other’s mysterious ability to produce items like sleeping bags and matches raises red flags and suggests connections to the reader’s real world, but for Piranesi it does not.
Themes
Piranesi visits the dead, bringing each of them an offering of food and drink. He whispers the name Addy Domarus to each of them, hoping one will signal it is theirs. Instead, nothing happens, and Piranesi feels a sense of repudiation from the corpses. The next day Piranesi sets off for the One-Hundred-and-Ninety-Second Western Hall, the one with only one doorway. The House shows Piranesi many wonders along the way, including a staircase of Mussels and several unique statues. Piranesi reaches his destination, but he is put off by the “Absolute Darkness” of the Hall. He fears the invisible statues will turn out to be grotesque. He delays entering the Hall, eating and drinking and journaling outside the door.
Piranesi’s habit visiting the dead exemplifies his unique, and at times, inconsistent, vision of the world. While for certain things like his cataloguing of statues or tracking of the Tides, Piranesi is exacting and rational, in situations like this he proves surprisingly indifferent the scientific process. There is no evidence that the skeletons can hear or understand what Piranesi is saying, and yet he persists in his belief that they can.
Themes
Piranesi enters the Hall. It is very dark, and there are no birds. Piranesi is unsettled, but he manages to drift off to sleep because of the familiar sound of the Sea in the Lower Halls. Piranesi awakes to the moon shining in the Doorway. The statues are illuminated too, and Piranesi observes that they represent a crowd. For a moment, he understands what it might be like if there were thousands of people in the world. Piranesi makes notes of the constellations and departs. His experience pushes him to abandon his belief in the Great and Secret Knowledge, reflecting that the House is not a “means to an end.”
Here, Piranesi’s philosophical disagreements with the Other’s scientific methods find full expression. Realizing that he does not want to participate in a project which views the House as a “means to an end,” Piranesi abandons his belief in the “Great and Secret Knowledge.” This is a pivotal moment for Piranesi, signaling a newfound independence in thought and action. For the first time, Piranesi decides to take a stand for his beliefs.
Themes
Piranesi decides to pursue a new science, one that follows the data instead of single-mindedly searching out a single objective. On his way back to share his revelation with the Other, Piranesi encounters ripped-up pieces of paper. He reads the words “minotaur,” “slave,” and “kill him.” Piranesi wonders who wrote this and searches for the rest of the pieces, finding 47 of them. However, the last remaining scraps of paper are woven into the nests of several aggressive herring gulls. Piranesi decides to return when they’ve abandoned the nests to collect the rest of the paper.
Having abandoned his search for the “Great and Secret Knowledge,” Piranesi decides to forge his own path. Instead of pursuing a specific, preset scientific discovery like the Other does, Piranesi imagine a more reactive approach, allowing himself to be guided by the data, not the other way around. This difference in methodology reflects the respective personalities of Piranesi and the Other, with Piranesi being a far more passive, agreeable person, and the Other being far more assertive and exploitative.
Themes
The next day, Piranesi explains his revelation about the insignificance of The Great and Secret Knowledge to the Other. The Other grows upset, explaining that their quest is a “great project,” designed to return a lost knowledge to humanity. He then explains that if Piranesi abandons the quest, the two of them will cease to be colleagues, an upsetting thought to Piranesi. Finally, the Other tells Piranesi that his revelation about knowledge is not new—in fact, Piranesi has had it several times. The Other explains that, while Piranesi’s memory of the labyrinth is perfect, he consistently forgets days and dates. This is why the Other must set objectives, not Piranesi.
This passage underscores the Other’s manipulative tendencies, as well as his untrustworthiness as a friend. Instead of encouraging Piranesi in his new scientific endeavor, the Other uses their friendship as leverage to emotionally manipulate Piranesi into changing his mind. It’s the final nail in the coffin when he reveals his long-standing knowledge of Piranesi’s memory loss as a means of gaslighting him into compliance.
Themes
Reflecting the next day, Piranesi expresses disbelief about the Other’s claim. He cannot find any evidence of memory loss and reflects that there is no third party to say which one of them is right. Piranesi decides to read through his journal to look for any discrepancies, though he does not have time for it yet. Until he can, he will operate on the assumption that the Other is wrong. The next day Piranesi writes a letter to the Other. It states that, while no longer confident in the scientific legitimacy of the Other’s search, he will continue to help him.
Piranesi shows unusual stubbornness in his rejection of the Other’s claim. Though usually open-minded, Piranesi clearly does not want to consider the possibility that he has lost his memory, and his dismissal of the Other reflects that. Beyond this, this moment also underscores the value Piranesi places on his friendship with the Other. Despite their philosophical disagreements, Piranesi still wants to be friends, even if it means working on a project he does not believe in.
Themes
The next morning, the Other asks if Piranesi has seen anyone else in the labyrinth. Piranesi says no, and the Other asks him to promise not to speak to anyone if he ever does. Piranesi is confused at this request, and the Other explains that he has met this sixteenth person—“16”—before and that they are his enemy. The Other reassures Piranesi that 16 does not know his way here, and Piranesi questions how the Other met him, since the Other never travels far from the First Vestibule. The Other looks horrified and does not answer the question.
Here, Piranesi exposes the logical gaps in the Other’s story about his meeting with 16. Where many would immediately assume deception or foul play, however, Piranesi once again gives the Other the benefit of the doubt, even with his clear signs of guilt. The Other openly evades his question, and yet Piranesi thinks nothing of it.
Themes
Piranesi updates his journal entry for 16. The next day, Piranesi visits the First Vestibule, a place he rarely goes, despite it being the centerpiece of his hall-numbering system. He reckons he must have felt a strong connection to it but cannot remember why. Piranesi wonders if he is forgetting things, like the Other claims. The First Vestibule is larger than the other Vestibules and has eight imposing minotaur statues. It is colder than the other halls and smells of rain, metal, and petrol. He follows the scent and arrives at two minotaur statues. Their shadows create an optical illusion. Piranesi feels as though he is staring down a corridor from which strange smells and sounds also emanate. He hears footsteps and a loud, angry voice.
Even within the fantastical context of the House, Piranesi’s experience in the First Vestibule is strange, particularly given his uncanny feeling of connection to the vestibule. To the reader, at least, it is clear by now that there are portions of Piranesi’s past which he has forgotten, and moments like not only reinforce this hypothesis, but provide hints about what knowledge Piranesi may have lost. Here, for instance, Piranesi seems to have stumbled upon a kind a portal, albeit a fading one. This opens the possibility that Piranesi may not originally have belonged to this world.
Themes
Piranesi leaps back. When he returns to the statues, the illusion is gone, as are the lights and noises. Piranesi discovers a piece of paper blowing in the wind. Signed by someone named Laurence, it asks for its reader to provide instructions to the statue of the elderly fox teaching other woodland creatures. There is a blank space for a response and Piranesi writes back, reasoning that Laurence might be from a distant hall. He gives exact directions to the fox statue and expresses his hope that Laurence is alive— if not, he promises to bring food to Laurence’s remains. He signs “Your Friend” and puts the paper at the foot of a minotaur.
The mystery of the House continues to deepen with the introduction of Laurence, a new figure. Though the appearance of his letter would seem to be linked with the disappearance of the portal-like illusion, Piranesi makes no such connection. Strange as the illusion may be, Piranesi seems to accept it as just another one of the House’s many mysteries. He is far more excited by the possibility of a new person.
Themes
