progressing in the reading of "Piligrim's progress"

The story is a long parable. It is a moral tale of a man who receives divine revelation, that his city (aptly named the City of Destruction) will be destroyed for its sins, and he must leave and go to a place close to G-d, heaven or otherwordly place. This recalls famous biblical stories of Lot and that of Jonah. Only Lot fled with his wife, and our hero here (Christian) must go alone because his family laughs at him and they don't wish to follow him; in the end he doesn't seem to insist too much.

The narrative continues to be saturated with quotes from the Christian Bible, especially densely in the beginning of the book. The names of the cities, places and people are descriptive of the lesson that they are supposed to convey: Mr Worldly Wiseman, Mr. Legality, the Slough of Despond... This makes reading this book easier, because lessons it is trying to teach and its view of christian morality are foreign to me and not easily guessed at or understood. 

I am trying to derive the values and read meaning into allegories of the book's images. The Slough of Despond is located almost next to the little wicket gate leading to the holy place where Christian journeys, symbolizing that base and dirty exists next to holy and elevated in this world; and also that temptation and obstructions are likely to hinder one when the goal is so close... 

What puzzled me was that some things and values that are considered positive in our society, in the author's time are not necessarily so. For example, Mr. Legality and Mr. Civility are portrayed as powerless and at best empty and foolish, at worst evil and plotting...

The piligrim is asked to singlemindedly pursue his goal, follow the teaching of Evangelist, without giving in to reason and logical thinking. He severely regrets his "error" of almost following the advice of Mr. Worldly Wiseman, that temporarily diverts him from his goal, when I, the modern reader, can find no fault or wrong with this advice. The only thing "wrong" with it is that it contradicts the initial direction of Evangelist. Evangelist's words though caused the Piligrim to abandon his family, and part of Mr. Worldly Wiseman's advice is that Christian will be able to reunite with his family. When repentant Christian laments his taking Worldly's advice to heart to Evangelist, who steps in to "rescue" him, he renounces his family again. 

It seems that the prerequisite for attaining holiness and following the right way is separation from all the things of this world - family, physical comforts and needs, sometimes even reason and logic... Mr. Worldly Wiseman's only fault is holding things of this world and its order in high esteem, as even the Evangelist explains. 

to be continued...