Stamps Symbol Analysis

Charley’s stamp collection represents a bridge between the past and the present throughout “The Third Level.” Early in the story, the collection is established as one that Charley inherited from his grandfather, allowing it to function as a connection across multiple generations of people. In addition, since Charley’s stamp collection was started in an early generation, it allows Charley a window into the past, as the stamps are much older than him and often signify important historical events, as with presidential stamps. In this way, the stamps initially signify Charley’s interest in revisiting the past (although Charley himself denies that his stamp collection is a means of escapism).

At the end of the story, stamps become a much more literal connection between the past and present, as Sam uses it to communicate with Charley and Louisa. After making it to 1894, Sam sends a letter to Charley’s grandfather, knowing that he won’t open it and will place it in his collection due to the new stamp on the back. In the letter, Sam tells Charley that he made it to 1894 and loves it, and he strongly encourages him and Louisa to keep searching for the third level. In other words, Charley’s stamps go from being a more abstract representation of connections between time periods to a literal conduit of communication between them.