Sign-Painting

Raman’s career as a painter of signs is symbolic of his desire to understand everything in clear, unambiguous terms rather than to approach life in a way that allows for uncertainty, flexibility, or ambiguity. Raman has very precise and didactic views about the way that signs should be painted in order to communicate the right message to the public, which underscores his desire for clarity and precision in other areas of life.

Astrology

Astrology, which a lawyer who employs Raman to paint a sign for him uses to guide all of his decisions in life, is symbolic of a more spiritual and less scientific approach to life than the approach adopted by Raman. At the start of the novel, Raman is frustrated by the number of people around him who rely on things like astrology to guide their decisions when Raman feels that decisions should...