The Steam Engine

The Steam engine is a symbol of how much more power and knowledge the Old People had then the current society. The particular steam-engine is special because "there wasn't another steam-engine within a hundred miles." (p.24) To the people of the David's society, even the magnificence of the steam-engine is "fascinating." Some believe that the Old People had engines that were much better than the steam engine, which is a symbol of how powerful the Old People where. When comparing the steam engine in our society to other engines we have created, it is a small accomplishment compared to that of jet engines. So if the rumours and tales of Old People are true, the steam engine is a symbol that amounts to a small amount of rediscovered power that the Old People once possessed.