We Are the Ants

The red button is presented to Henry as a decision. Henry can press the button and save Earth from destruction, or he can refuse to press the button and participate in the annihilation of the human race. The red button is a literal button in Henry’s abductions, but it is also a symbol of Henry’s need to find a reason to live. The red button symbolizes all of Henry’s internal conflicts with his own life. Because Henry is lonely, isolated, and depressed, he doesn’t see human life as valuable. The decision to press the red button is actually the activation of Henry’s character development that propels his journey to self-discovery and coming of age. The red button issue differentiates Henry from other people who, despite their own experiences with pain, have no doubts about saving Earth. When Henry finally decides to press the button, it is a decision that is symbolic of Henry’s newfound sense of self and his discovery that human life is valuable.

Stars are used throughout the novel as a symbol of impermanence. The stars humans see from Earth are the reverberations of a light about to be extinguished. This