Both this work and Lentricchia's comments concerning Burke's presentation touch upon symbolism that appeals to ambition ("The People") rather than sympathy ("The Worker"). I am curious how symbols like Christ and his metonymic cross appear on this spectrum. There seems to be some ostensibly pitiable element about the suffering of Christ which enables the spiritual life of the believing community. This element may be paralleled to that of "The Worker," who suffers because of a particular social system and is idolized by the believing community of Communists.

Yet, there is also something of an appeal to ambition in the Christ symbol—an invitation to be Christ-like—that is not inherent in "The Worker." As Burke points out, the goal of society members should not be to aspire to the status of a human cog, but rather eliminate the need for such a position.