We all know there’s more to Mad Men than the lush interiors and good-looking cast that meet the eye. It’s a show laden with symbolism, hidden in everything from individual characters to the books they’re reading and their vices of choice. From the Freudian to the downright literal, the objects and personalities that populate the show practically all have meaning. With that in mind, we’ve attempted what we’re sure is impossible: to create a dictionary of three-seasons’ worth of symbols and, very briefly, tease out their meaning in anticipation of Sunday’s season premiere. Any experiment of this nature is sure to be both reductive and imprecise, so give us your arguments and additions in the comments.
Adam Whitman, Don’s real brother: The return of the repressed
Adoption: The (literal and figurative) failure of Pete’s manhood
Annabelle Mathis: Roger’s fading youth
Ann-Margret/Bye Bye Birdie: Innocence, exuberance (the kind you can sell)
The Apartment: Joan’s self-awareness
Babies: Potential; responsibility
Bert Cooper: Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged in action
The Bible: Serious, life-altering contemplation; Jews
Betty: The Feminine Mystique
Betty’s BB gun: Agency
Comments (5)
The new firm: Sterling Cooper Draper PRYCE. Will the price be right? Is it the right price to pay?
The order of Jackie and Marilyn needs to be fixed.
I really don’t think that the ‘History of the Rise and Decline of the Roman Empire’ is meant to represent Sally’s precociousness. There are some pretty obvious parallels that can be drawn between that story and the show.
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