The backstory: “My relationships metaphor. In the romantic sense. Some identity elements involved, as I’ve been repeatedly told how ugly I am since I was little.“
Metaphor: “It’s like I’m left on the shelf. In front of me is a sheer drop off a high shelf into a toy maker’s workshop. To my left is a vast expanse of wooden shelves covered in cobwebs. The same to the right. Behind me is the back of the shelf unit. I am aware of a toy maker working somewhere in front of me and women who have selected the toys they want.”
This metaphor invokes the spirit of Pinocchio, the toy who was treated like a boy, but wasn’t really ever a boy. He was just a toy, sculpted by his “father”, who wasn’t really his father… but was his creator. Pinocchio dreamed of being a boy and fabricated a lot of stories to that effect. But he never dreamed of being… a man.
Now, in terms of taxonomy, the first thing that stands out is that of The Elevations. He isn’t just left on the shelf. He is left on the top shelf. The most important shelf. The elevation of the shelf gives him the status, but it also makes him unreachable, hidden, forbidden… maybe even pornographic. Out of sight and out of mind for all who might casually glance upon him.
Of course, I cannot help but notice the passivity with regard to waiting to be selected by women choosing their toys.
For those who know he is there, he doesn’t matter. Out of sight and out of mind. He is just a plaything to be put away until he is required for other people’s purposes. Something to be used for the pleasure of others.
Of course, this is all just child’s play for someone like him. He can shelve all notions of manhood, as he is above his creator… his father, his Maker. We do not know if he was graven in His own image, but we do know he was put in an elevated position very early on, placed above that of all the others. Made to feel special… and awkward. After all, it is a difficult position to have to maintain, not to mention lonely.
Then, of course, there is the issue of the cobwebs (taxonomy: contamination = sin). It would suggest that this position is old, ignored and not maintained very well. Maybe it is forsaken by everyone else, including his Maker.
But regardless, our little toy maintains his duty and stays in position. To do anything would be to let himself down, and to let himself down in the eyes of his Maker would surely be a grave sin.
And so it will continue. Maintain the elevated position, stay on the shelf waiting to be chosen, rather than step down and come down to earth to be more grounded and to stand on his own two feet. To do so would be to give up the support that has been provided for so long, and that is the sin that the Creator may not be able to forgive.
Now, there is another taxonomy that is not too obvious, and it is that of the Situational Relational Positioning. Our toy here is in a position where he looks down on his creator. To step down from the shelf would be to come down to the same level as the man who looks down on; the man who gets his back up (think about it).
This is suggestive of contempt being the main reason as to why such a position is being maintained, as exemplified by the cartoon below. After all, there is nothing else that is left. Just emptiness.