The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet

The door under the stairs in Eric’s basement and the rainbow staircase collectively serve as portals between the ordinary world and the magical world of Droon, and they therefore stand as symbols of Escaping the Mundane World and Embracing New Growth. Both the door and the stairs have qualities that mark them as not fully belonging to the ordinary world. Eric has seen the little door under the stairs many times, but until now, he has never thought to open it or explore what lies beyond. This fact suggests that the door operates as a seal between the two worlds; it is a door meant to be opened only at the right time and remains closed otherwise. 

The stairs that Eric and his friends discover beyond the door have even more clearly magical qualities, for they appear and disappear unexpectedly. The staircase’s glimmering appearance and elusive qualities also make it similar to an actual rainbow. Traditionally, many mythological systems have regarded rainbows as a common means of connection between the ordinary world and more magical realms. For example, both Norse and Greek mythology depict rainbows as bridges between the world of gods and the human world. In this way, the door and the hidden staircase represent the possibility of connecting with the extraordinary at any moment on an ordinary day.