The moor symbolizes this underlying fear of atavism. The “gloomy aspects” of the moor symbolize a primitive environment, while the inhabitants of the moor, primarily Stapleton, symbolize the “transgressive nobles and clerics who bred ruthless evils” (Fisher 187). The setting develops the stage for atavistic behavior; it is a primitive, rather remote area that does not follow the norms of society. Atavism is a theory created by Cesare Lombroso. Lombroso believed that "multiple physical anomalies distinguished criminals from common men"; he called these physical marks “stigmata” (Ramsland 70). One of the main oppositions within the novel is the division between "humanity and nature" (Taylor-Ide 56). People wanted a clear distinction between nature and man to promote the growth of civilization; atavism is the antithesis of