Stuart and his brother, Phillip, toured the festival in the uniforms they wear at their jobs as surf life-guards — bright yellow jerseys, red swim trunks, sandals, and red-and-yellow swim caps.

I read much, exercise, talk to the guards and inmates, feeling for the inevitable direction of my life.

Second of all the motif of guards who block access to the tree of life suggests that no humans have access to immortality and the pursuit of immortality is futile.