Talk:It Wears His Skin/@comment-25941663-20150414095407

Here's my take on the symbolism of the story:

I think that Michael and the narrator are the same person.

1) Near the beginning, Violet says that Michael has a bipolar personality.

2) It is strange how Violet would text a person he has never spoken to, to talk about personal issues.

3) The narrator sits right next to Michael in class.

4) The narrator is the only one seeing the Burrower.

I also think that the narrator is actually the violent side of Michael (the Burrower). We constantly see that something is hidden under Michael's skin, something malevolent that is trying to come on top but Michael is suppressing. I think that this malevolent 'creature' is the narrator, as we see near the end of the story that he is in fact the Burrower.

Also, 'God' truly is the god (or the devil). He created Michael and the narrator, two sides of the same coin, and he wants the dark one to kill the peaceful. So, maybe instead of god he is the devil?

I'm not really sure who is the real one (assuming my theory is correct). Michael or Sam? I believe it's actually Sam, based on the very last line.

So, in the end the 'bad' side ( the Burrower) killed itself, realising that Michael was the good guy (?) and he was the bad one.

Lastly, I think this story ties in with Blood Canvas.

At the end you write that Sam was the Hanger. I assume this is the Hanger from the Blood Canvas. If that's the case, then Blood Canvas and this story tell the same tale, just from different perspectives.