The Lyceum Symbol Analysis

The Lyceum is the name that Julian gives to his office, and it represents the secretive and performative nature of Greek studies at Hampden. Richard first visits Julian’s office early in the novel to ask Julian if he can study Greek with him. During this early visit, Julian only cracks his door and does not allow Richard to see what is inside. However, once Richard becomes a Greek student, he is allowed into the lyceum, which functions as a sort of inner sanctum that only a privileged few have access to.

“Lyceum” is a Greek word that refers to a lecture hall or performance space. Julian’s lyceum is a bit of both; though the Greek students do learn from Julian, his lectures often take the form of performances. In fact, by the end of the novel, it is revealed that Julian is primarily concerned with performing rather than teaching. Though he can be a good teacher, Julian cares much more for his own well-being than that of his students. After Julian leaves Hampden and his possessions are removed from his office, the Greek students see the lyceum for what it always was: a normal college classroom.