Piranesi: Part 6 Summary & Analysis

Piranesi realizes he was mistaken about the Other: he is not a friend, but an enemy. Looking back, Piranesi realizes the Other has been testing him, checking to see he has not remembered his true identity. Reflecting on the possibility of forgetting the Other is his enemy, Piranesi decides to write down what he has learned. He grows furious at the thought of the Other’s deception and thinks of ways of killing the Other, such as tying him up and leaving him to drown in the floods. Losing himself in fantasies of revenge, Piranesi forgets to sleep or eat or drink. Hours later, he falls asleep, exhausted from his exertions.

Piranesi wakes the next morning feeling tired, but no longer able to feel anger. A sob escapes his mouth occasionally, and Piranesi believes it is Sorensen deep inside himself speaking out. He sympathizes with Sorensen’s plight and comforts him inside himself. He realizes neither he nor Sorensen was mad: they had just been operating in different Worlds when they wrote their respective journal entries. Piranesi also reflects on the actions of 16 and realizes that she is looking for him, not the Other. Not only this, but she is friend. He worries about her safety with the incoming flood and discovers that the Other has erased his warning to her. Piranesi rewrites the message. He grows anxious that she will miss the warning and come to harm. 

Piranesi collects and carries the skeletons to safe places in preparation for the flood. This takes three days. On Tuesday, he decides not to visit the Other as usual and wonders if he is suspicious. Piranesi stows his journals, fishing gear, and other possessions in high places out of reach of the flood. Lastly, he goes to collect 16’s bowls. Along the way, he encounters a bag containing a gun, several paddles, and an inflatable boat. He realizes these must be the Other’s. He considers throwing the gun into the tide but decides otherwise.

Piranesi wakes with nerves on the day of the flood. Determined to find and protect 16 from the flood, he searches the Halls around the First Vestibule. He does not find her, but he does catch sight of the Other. Hiding, Piranesi watches the Other unpack his bag and begin to inflate the boat. Piranesi suspects that 16 is hiding nearby; while she may not know of the floods, she is likely conducting surveillance of the Other. Piranesi shows himself and the Other asks angrily where he has been. Piranesi responds with a quote from Sorensen’s journal. The Other does not understand and asks for help constructing the boat.

Piranesi continues quoting Sorensen and gradually the Other catches on. Piranesi reveals that he now remembers “Battersea” and has read 16’s message. The Other is shocked and angry, asking: “Matthew, how stupid do you think I am?” The Other dives for the gun but Piranesi kicks it away. Piranesi asks where 16 is. A woman’s voice shouts to them, asking for Matthew Rose Sorensen. Piranesi warns 16 that the Other has a gun. 16 emerges—a slight figure—and the Other attempts to hit Piranesi. However, Piranesi bests him and throws him to the floor. Piranesi runs over to 16, seizing her hand and helping her climb to safety. The Other begins shooting at them.

Piranesi yells at the Other to get into the boat, but the Other does not listen and continues shooting. Piranesi and 16 hide behind a statue to shield them from the Other’s bullets. With the sound of the Tides approaching, the Other runs towards the boat. He is too late, however, and the tides sweep in. The boat dances out of reach, swerving in the water. Piranesi yells at the Other to climb to safety, but the Other does not hear him. A huge tide sweeps into the room, slamming the Other against the Southern Hall. He dies, his body disappearing into the Waves.

Piranesi and 16 wait out the Tides, not speaking. Slowly, the water recedes, and Piranesi addresses 16, saying “You are Raphael.” She does the same, saying, “You are Matthew Rose Sorensen.” Piranesi does not know how to answer, asking instead if Matthew knew her. She processes his statement and says no, because she is a police officer. They sit in silence, dazed by the experience. The water continues to lower and Piranesi leaves to retrieve his supplies. Returning, he ties his fishing nets to the statue for Raphael to climb down on. Piranesi talks to the birds, mystifying Raphael. They briefly discuss the Other’s manipulations of Piranesi, such as telling him not to talk to Raphael.

Raphael suggests they return home but Piranesi says he is already home. Raphael explains he has a mom, dad, two sisters, and friends, and asks if he remembers. Piranesi does not, and Raphael explains that they have been looking for him and suffering without him. Piranesi expresses sympathy for Matthew’s family and Raphael asks if he does not think of himself as Matthew. Piranesi says no, telling her that Matthew is asleep in his body. Raphael does not argue, which Piranesi likes. She asks who he is, then, and Piranesi says a “Beloved Child of the House.”

Raphael asks if Piranesi would return home to see Matthew’s family. Piranesi says not now, citing the needs of the Biscuit-Box Man and other people. Raphael is shocked there are other people until Piranesi reveals they are dead. She asks who they are and when they died. Piranesi explains his theory that three of them are Ovenden, Sylvia, and Giussani. He tells Raphael how he brings them offerings and that he now needs to find Ketterley’s body. Suddenly, Piranesi starts crying but claims it is Matthew, not him. Raphael promises to return tomorrow and Piranesi says he’ll think about coming home. She leaves. Piranesi reflects that his only “friend” and his only “enemy” is dead.

Finding Ketterley’s body, Piranesi comforts it and promises to put it in “good order.” He apologizes for being angry with him and asks forgiveness. Piranesi finds the boat, but not the gun. He contemplates writing a letter to Matthew’s family explaining that Matthew lives inside him, and that Piranesi will take good care of him. Raphael returns but rejects Piranesi’s idea. She asks what she should call Piranesi, but he is unsure. He explains the name that the Other gave him. Raphael tells Piranesi how she found him, explaining how Angharad Scott, hearing of his disappearance, grew suspicious and contacted the police. The police interviewed Arne-Sayles’s circle to learn more.

Piranesi reveals that he has met Laurence, which shocks Raphael. She does not understand why Laurence did not offer to help Piranesi leave, but Piranesi says he would not have left anyway. An owl arrives, which Piranesi has only ever seen in statue form. Raphael continues her story, explaining how Laurence had told her Matthew was in the labyrinth. Raphael plays a voice recording of Laurence in which he explains to her how to perform a ritual. She tells Piranesi how shocked she was when the ritual brought her here. Piranesi sympathizes, explaining how shocked Matthew was when he first arrived.

Piranesi and Raphael discuss the differences between their worlds. Piranesi is offended by her suggestion that the statues are inferior to the real thing they represent. Raphael apologizes and tells Piranesi about her world, explaining how many more people there are. She explains that the other world is not always a happy one and that it’s not like here. She says it’s up to Piranesi whether he stays or goes; she doesn’t want to trick him into something. Piranesi asks if she will visit him, and Raphael says yes.

The next day, at Raphael’s request, Piranesi gives a tour of his favorite places in the labyrinth—something he has always wanted to do. Raphael enjoys herself and asks Piranesi how long it took for him to learn his way around. He can’t remember. Raphael asks permission to take photos, and Piranesi grants it, pleased at the respect she shows for the House. He shows her the “People of the Alcove” and Raphael expresses sadness at their deaths. She apologizes to Piranesi, angry that Laurence will never pay for his crime, and Piranesi is taken aback by her kindness. Piranesi does not like to think of the dead so negatively and leads her away.

While on their tour, Raphael expresses how much she likes it here, saying there are “no people.” Surprised, Piranesi asks if she does not like the people in her halls. She replies “mostly” she does, but she does not always get them, nor they her. Piranesi cannot understand this, but then remembers how Raphael’s sadness about the skeletons had cast them in a negative light for him; sometimes other people can make the world seem darker, not lighter. The next day, Piranesi decides to leave with Raphael. Though he does not like the idea of the House being empty, he does not want to remain in it alone, even if Raphael visits him. Before leaving, he returns all the dead to their designated places and visits each of his favorite statues.

On his final day, Piranesi retrieves his hair ornaments, braiding them back into his hair. Raphael seems surprised by his new appearance. Piranesi takes his messenger bag with him and walks with Rachel towards the two minotaur in the South-Eastern corner of the First Vestibule. The Shadows transform into a corridor. Piranesi looks back at the Eternal House and shivers. Raphael takes his hand, and they walk down the corridor.