The unidentified protagonist is a highly influential character upon the reader. The reader is helped to embrace the ubiquitous nature of humanity’s greed by not being told the name of the man. The man’s avarice begins once he secured a large portion of his newfound wealth. It would seem logical that he should be satisfied by having a trunk full of diamonds; yet, he proceeds to fill his whole vehicle with the gems. His continuous need for more wealth is telling of human nature: we cannot be satisfied unless we have all which is possible.
Moreover, the man’s family is the stereotypical American family, adding a sense of commonality between the man and the reader. The man’s decision to sacrifice his relationship with his family in order to provide them with more wealth is presented in an absurd matter: he drives around his home, only able to catch glimpses of his wife and child. This situation is dramatically ironic as we realize that the man wants to more to see his family than to circle around them without interaction; however, he is not willing to sacrifice his guaranteed supply of wealth to attain the compromise. His journey is parallel to one which many working class men take to provide for their families. He places an imagined responsibility upon himself to continue his detrimental lifestyle and disregards his wellbeing. The comical matter in which he lives, however, makes the flaws of his plan more conspicuous to the reader than the flaws which working men encounter – this is what makes the story an effective metaphor.
Furthermore, Ciardi uses strong symbolism throughout the story to represent various aspects of the hectic lifestyle that he is criticizing. The man’s inability to exit the car symbolizes the regarding bringing the bucket shows that many alleviate self-inflicted pressure by placing some on those they know. The house that he hopes of purchasing from the neighbour shows his willingness to dream, but moreover demonstrates the false-promises that many workers make of “settling down” once conditions are perfect – however, conditions are unlikely to ever become perfect, as alluded to by the neighbour’s refusal to leave. The discomfort suffered by sitting amongst diamonds – cuts, bruises, and bumps – represents the possible inconveniences that having riches may provide.
Overall, the story is about mankind’s consistent lust for money and the consequences that that lust brings forth. It represents the struggle that many working class people go through to provide for their families, while drawing heavily upon the negative results of such a self-decimating but self-inflicted lifestyle. This is done through the use of allusions and metaphors, most of which are embedded into the story itself. But, despite his criticisms of the working society, Ciardi leaves the reader with showing of humanity’s unrivalled persistence and thus a positive view of human life: “I have responsibilities. I’ve got to hold on.”