The unnamed voice of the poem speaks on behalf of humanity using the plural pronoun 'we.' Disillusioned with technological advancements that strip humans of their essential nature, the speaker calls for a return to traditional storytelling. The speaker views modern humanity as having become machine-like, trading authentic human experiences for a lightweight and immortal existence.

The unnamed audience of the poem receives the task of saving humanity from technological apathy through imagination. The reader is implored to look past the defunct genre of science fiction to rediscover ancient narratives of human flaws and heroism. The speaker relies on the reader to interpret and resurrect these stories to secure a livable future.

An allusion to the Biblical first man from the Book of Genesis. The speaker offers him as a fundamental template for a new story by stripping human narrative down to its most basic elements before the fall from grace. He represents the beginning of a long future of physical and emotional struggle.

An allusion to the Biblical first woman. She represents the origin point of the human story and the long history of survival that follows the expulsion from paradise. The speaker uses her presence to demand a return to basic human vulnerability.

An allusion to the central figure of the New Testament. The speaker includes him as a symbol of pure heroism and hope. His presence contrasts the mechanized state of modern humanity against the potential for human salvation.

An allusion to the hero of the Latin epic poem The Aeneid. He represents filial piety and physical endurance in the face of destruction. His story serves as an archetype of the noble and earthy struggle the speaker wishes to see resurrected in modern storytelling.

The elder figure in the classical epic who must be rescued by his son. His presence in the speaker's catalog of stories emphasizes human vulnerability and the physical burdens of survival that contrast with weightless technological existence.

An allusion to the Greek hero who escapes the deadly Minotaur's labyrinth. The speaker uses him to illustrate the messy nature of human morality, noting that while he performs heroic deeds, he also displays callous human flaws by abandoning his rescuer.

The Greek mythological figure who saves Theseus from the labyrinth. The speaker highlights her story to demonstrate human ingenuity and the tragic consequences of abandonment, emphasizing the hard love necessary for genuine human experience.

The Biblical figure who defeats Goliath. The speaker calls upon his story as an example of epic physical struggle and courage against impossible odds, preferring this earthy heroism over a passive technological existence.

The Biblical giant defeated by David. He serves as the necessary and imposing obstacle in the ancient stories of human triumph that the speaker wishes to see reinvented for the modern age.

A figure from Greek mythology who changes her physical form to escape unwanted amorous attention. Her story provides an example of the tragic and desperate nature of ancient narratives that accurately reflect the human condition.

A Greek god whose relentless pursuit of Daphne forces her to transform into a tree. He represents the unyielding and sometimes destructive forces of desire present in traditional mythologies.

A Biblical figure who deceitfully claims his sibling's inheritance to become the head of a nation. The speaker uses his story to argue that human greed and complex morality are crucial components of meaningful storytelling.

The brother in the Biblical story of Jacob. His loss of his birthright illustrates the interpersonal conflicts and family betrayals necessary for genuine human narratives.

A Biblical figure who transforms into salt after looking backward at her burning home. The speaker praises her story for its complex human emotion, viewing her refusal to abandon her past as a poignant example of the real tears missing from a mechanized future.