The Library (Allegory)
The Library, which represents the entire universe within the story "The Library of Babel," is an allegory for our own universe. Since this is explicitly stated from the outset of the story when Borges writes "The universe (which others call the Library)" (112), the ensuing description of the Library and its inhabitants is intended to reveal allegorical truths about the universe that Borges and the reader experience. Of utmost importance are the questions of whether the Library is infinite or merely indefinite, and ordered or random. By the end of the story, the narrator reasons philosophically that the Library is both infinite and orderly, implying that our own universe is as well.
Orthographic Symbols (Symbol)
The second axiom of the Library pertains to the orthographic symbols, or letters and punctuation, in the books of the Library. The narrator states, "Second: There are twenty-five orthographic symbols" (113). This is the first piece of information that sets up the symbolism of these orthographic signs; within the Library, or the universe, there is a set number of small building blocks that, combined, constitute everything that's possible in the Library. The narrator spends the two following pages going through the philosophical arguments about whether the signs are ordered in a random or orderly way in the Library's books, finally coming to the conclusion that "All books, however different from one another they might be, consist of identical elements" (114). From these two quotes, the reader can gather that the orthographic symbols in the books represent the pieces that, in combination, make up life on Earth. This could refer to chemical elements, genetic code, or both; most likely, it represents genes because of the importance of the order of the symbols. Through this symbolism, Borges comments on how random and fragile existence is, paralleling how just one change in the order of letters can be the difference between sense and nonsense, similar to one change or deletion of genes making the difference between life and death.
Librarians (Allegory)
Since the Library is an explicit allegory of the universe, it follows that the librarians represent humans and humanity in our universe. Like the librarians, it is our task to interpret the meaning of life in the universe, and we humans have the ability to preserve or destroy parts of the universe. Not much is shared about the society of librarians in the Library, nor do we learn much about the inner lives and relationships of librarians themselves. However, one thing the narrator focuses on is the reaction of librarians to scientific discoveries and philosophical ideas about the Library. Many librarians seem to react to discoveries about the nature of the Library by forming religious orders around certain beliefs. For example, when discussing the possible endlessness of the Library, the narrator writes, "Mystics claim that their ecstasies reveal to them a circular chamber containing an enormous circular book with a continuous spine that goes completely around the walls. But their testimony is suspect, their words obscure. That cyclical book is God" (113). The narrator uses the words "suspect" and "obscure" to show his negative opinion of those who turn to religious supposition when faced with new scientific discoveries. However, the narrator later shows empathy toward members of another religious sect when describing the supposed destruction of millions of books at the hands of "the Purifiers" (116). He writes, "Despite general opinion, I daresay that the consequences of the depredations committed by the Purifiers have been exaggerated by the horror those same fanatics inspired. They were spurred on by the holy zeal..." (116). The narrator keeps a negative tone with the words "fanatics" and "zeal," but he also projects a tone of understanding toward their pursuit of truth. Here, Borges presents an allegory for how religious enthusiasm can be destructive. The narrator's thoughtful but critical understanding of these cults helps us see how difficult it is for humanity to grapple with the infinity and apparent lack of order in the universe.
Mirrors (Symbol)
Mirrors make a brief but important symbolic appearance in "The Library of Babel." While the narrator does not focus on mirrors for long, this is a symbol Borges has used in other stories to underscore the themes of infinity and identity. In this story, the narrator brings in the symbol of mirrors when telling the reader about the nearly identical design and contents of each room in the Library. He writes, "In the vestibule there is a mirror, which faithfully duplicates appearances. Men often infer from this mirror that the Library is not infinite—if it were, what need would there be for that illusory replication? I prefer to dream that burnished surfaces are a figuration and promise of the infinite...." (112). Mirrors are meant to duplicate perfectly, but they actually present the opposite of what exists on the viewer's side of the mirror. Furthermore, when many mirrors are faced toward one another, they can also create the illusion of infinity which is actually just a large but limited number of imperfect replications. Thus, through the symbol of mirrors, Borges calls attention to the confusion the narrator feels about whether the Library is infinite or indefinite and whether perfectly duplicated books exist in the Library. Finally, the fact that the narrator explicitly states that he sees mirrors as "a figuration and promise of the infinite" (112) represents how people use symbolic objects to shed light on the nature of life and the universe.
The Book-Man (Symbol)
The Book-Man is one of many symbolic representations of God and religion in the Library, but he is perhaps the most important because he seems to represent the final religious views of the narrator as an old man. The Book-Man is a hypothetical librarian who has read one book—also hypothetical—which contains the key to understanding all other books in the Library. The narrator believes that such a book must exist, because all books, true and false, must exist in the Library. But the Book-Man does not necessarily exist, because the cipher could exist without being read. The Book-Man himself represents humans' desire to play God by seeing the order and meaning of all things in the universe. Furthermore, it is important that the narrator's belief in the Book-Man takes faith, and this faith makes the narrator both uncomfortable and, ultimately, hopeful, allegorically representing man's struggle with religious belief and blind faith.
