Edited sentence: And all of these things work together to paint a sort of behind-the-scenes painting of the Classical and Middle Ages.Another perspective is as follows.In this manner of interpretation, Adam and Eve are symbolic of the entirety of humanity (as, indeed, they were in their own time).One school of thought teaches that the painting is not meant to be symbolic, but only as a reminder of original sin and man's separation from God.So, God (through his messenger the Catholic Church) evicts mankind from the perfect garden (the "paradise" of the Classic World) into the desolate wasteland (the Dark Ages).The angel is the Catholic Church, standing in as the "messengers of God" (our word 'angel' comes from the Greek αγγελος or 'angelos', meaning "angel" or "messenger").The arch (built in Roman or Classical style, similar to the Arch of Constantine in Rome) would then symbolise the glory of the Classical Age, contrasted in this picture with the desolation of Catholic-controlled Europe.There are multiple renditions of the symbolism of this painting.This painting is quite indicative of the Renaissance mindset through the symbolism scattered throughout it.To understand the symbolism, one must understand that the painting consists predominantly of four things: Adam and Eve, the angel, the wilderness, and the arch