1. Working Class: Paddy represents the collective strength and solidarity of the working class. He embodies the harsh realities and exploitation that manual laborers face in industrial society.
2. Primitivism: Paddy is associated with primal instincts and raw animalistic power. He is often juxtaposed with the protagonist, Yank, who is struggling to find his place in an increasingly mechanized and artificial world.
3. Strength and Brutality: Paddy symbolizes brute force and physical dominance. He represents the underlying violence simmering beneath the surface of industrial society.
4. Oppression: Paddy can be seen as a critique of capitalism and class disparity. The play underscores the oppressive conditions that the working class endures and their dehumanizing experiences.
5. Sacrifice: The name "Paddy" alludes to the sacrificial connotations often associated with Irish Catholics. Paddy symbolizes the sacrifices made by workers who toil tirelessly to keep society functioning.
6. Nature vs. Technology: Paddy is connected to a more organic, earthy realm. His presence clashes with the technological hubris that dominates industrialized society, highlighting the conflict between nature and modern civilization.
Overall, paddy serves as a multifaceted symbol that invites deeper reflection on social hierarchy, class struggle, and the alienation of individuals in a rapidly changing industrial world. The character's very name reflects these layers of symbolism, hinting at complex social, historical, and economic aspects underlying his identity and role in the narrative.