The pond or "ocean" is vital in the story because from the beginning of the novel the mystery of what the ocean is leaves the reader in question throughout the story. I believe the ocean symbolizes the vast volume of knowledge in the world that cannot be acquired. Oceans are vast and seem never ending, like knowledge. Although the ocean looks like a pond, once you enter it you acquire knowledge not known to mankind. The two bodies of water show how knowledge can seem small or infinite.
The main character enters the shown shown by the picture above through the bucket and enters into a place in between all worlds that contains all the knowledge there is to know. The MC in that moment acquires all this knowledge that the ocean contains, but is not able to hold on to that knowledge. The main character feels a good sensation in the water, but if he stayed to long he would be dissolved. He is then taken out of the water and the knowledge is taken away from him like in the end of the novel when Mrs. Hempstock takes some of the memories he has of his journey with Lettie. She does this because, like Kirsten mentioned, is easier that way. Ignorance is bliss.
Very nice analysis! I really liked the part when Lettie dumps the bucket of "ocean" water on the MC and he experiences "knowing everything in the world." Like Ermioni said, the world is so vast and it is impossible to know everything about it. It was fascinating the picture the seven-year old MC having this vast knowledge of every aspect of the universe for the short amount of time. However, I was a little confused about some of the things the author discussed. For example, during this same part and he talks about two places called Rose and Egg, but he doesn't explain them.
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