The Lost Thing- Analysis

Notice how the town that the man lived in looked somewhat sad and dark. (I remember Dr. Armstrong mentioning that it had a sort of "dystopian" feel to it) On the other hand, the hidden world that was the home of the "lost thing"―the robot-kettle-octopus-looking creature―felt happy and warm. I felt that this place had a playground-like atmosphere, and the rest of the "things" there were small children who weren't yet exposed to the hardships and pain of going out into society. Another aspect that caught my attention was the man explaining he gradually stopped seeing things around town that had a similar vibe as the "lost thing". This led me to think that the creature was a symbol for innocence. My analysis is that as the memory of the "thing" started to fade from the man's memory, his hope for a happier world―a world where people can have dreams and be their true selves, without being strapped down to the society's expectations―faded away as well.