With this pronouncement, Nostromo leaves the metaphoric room of the higher truth and returns to society, symbolically taking back his social name ("our man") which he had been reluctant to pronounce earlier. He does so not in the name of his old allegiance, but in the name of vengeance (see his reiteration to Giselle ), vengeance for the helpless "man of fear" who was in every sense the victim of society's oppressions. He has declared war on society, appropriately making a violent threat as he does, and he declares it in the name of Teresa, who urged him to exactly this revolt.

His threat to Monygham, "Out of my way, doctor," indicates that the People are choosing their own path toward their own liberation. Though they have made compact with the Devil in perpetuating the false society, their path is nevertheless one that the Devil does not suspect because it is based on the real silver in which he does not believe, symbolizing the inner worth of the People that is invisible to the cynic's eye. See below where Monygham is confused over the meaning of the threat, believing them allies. "Stand aside," we might say, is the ringing command of the People's innocent hope to the Devil's cynicism.