The In Between

The In Between realm is symbolic of entrapment. The In Between is literally the Afterlife, or a sort of purgatory that Maali inhabits after dying and before entering The Light. The interstitial nature of the In Between challenges Maali to reconsider his polarizing notions regarding life and death and good and evil from a place in which he has no autonomy.

The Light

The Light is symbolic of clarity and revelation. The Light is literally the realm that the individual enters after dying and leaving the In Between. Throughout the novel, Maali is reluctant to go to The Light, because he is still attached to Down There. He is disinterested in the supposed clarity and peace The Light will afford him because he wants to control Down There and ensure his life had purpose. Once he enters The Light, he gains new perspective.

Maali's Box