The Caves of Steel

Enderby’s glasses are a symbol of tradition and nostalgia. They represent humankind’s desire to hold on to the past and the power of nostalgia over storytelling. Enderby’s love of the past is embodied by his choice to wear glasses. He wants to be connected to his ancestors more than he wants the convenience a more modern solution. This choice mirrors his choice to be a Medievalist. He would rather sacrifice population growth and ease of life with technology than give up the romantic notion of returning to the soil. Dr. Fastolfe leverages this desire to his advantage, using Enderby’s mistake with his broken glasses to convert him to the C/Fe cause.

The glasses also serve as a symbol of humanity’s fragility and imperfection. Human bodies age and fail far more frequently than those of robots. Humans cannot easily swap out parts to make repairs. Enderby and Bentley both use vision correction devices. Isaac Asimov uses this common detail to show Daneel and the Spacers’ advancement. The Spacers and Daneel do not even understand the function of these things; they genetically excluded issues like vision problems. Asimov uses this symbol to highlight how nostalgia and traditionalism have held back Earth’s citizens.