The Cay

Symbolically, Phillip’s blindness represents his inability to properly understand himself and his world. When Timothy sees the cay, Phillip does not want to go there; he would rather stay on the raft, even though the island represents a much better chance of survival. When Timothy asks Phillip to help weave sleeping mats, Phillip uses his blindness as an excuse to exempt himself from the work. At this point in the book, Phillip’s blindness indicates that he has not yet Come of Age.

Once Phillip starts to better understand and respect Timothy, his blindness takes on a new symbolic quality. Rather than limiting what he can understand about the world, it actually increases his insight. He starts to hear and pay attention to specific sounds on the island, coming to “know the different cries of the birds that flew by the cay” (115), appreciating its creatures, and learning about the environment. He also begins to see Timothy as a complete person, rather than a representation of a racist stereotype. Once Phillip regains his sight, he retains the lessons he learned while blind. Phillip’s belief that he will only be able to recognize the cay if he closes his eyes symbolizes that when he lost his sight, he gained the greatest level of understanding.