I believe the shot of those books should stay not just because of what was been mentioned already, but it may send the wrong message when you’ve got the baddie Kylo Ren saying, “Let the past die, kill it” and then we’re led to think Yoda just ‘killed’ the past. Rey saving those books means both her and Yoda won’t let the past die.
I always saw the letting go of the past as something both sides did but in the evil and good way. Kylo kills his past so as to forget the love of his former friends and family so as to gain power. Our heroes are meant to learn and not dwell on the past and to rise above our past mistakes. Two very different sides of the coin of letting go of the past. Another element of “balance” in the film.
I agree, but I think there’s a difference between moving on from the past and killing it and everything it stood for.
Yoda did burn the tree and everything it stood for. It stood as a symbol of a sacred and special place to hold sacred and special texts that dictate the old dogmatic ways of the Jedi. Yoda symbolically moves on from this and it isn’t hateful or “Killing the past” like Kylo. Yoda explains quite beautifully the importance of the simple things Rey possesses to continue the true legacy of the Jedi and how Luke has to learn to move on from the past.
Even at the end this theme is repeated. After Luke says he will not be the Last Jedi we see Rey use her powers to save her friends, but we also see her reunite with Finn and we see the immense amount of love she has for her friends and how she used her powers for good. We cut back to Luke with a face of content and happiness as he realizes what he is fighting for. He is fighting to salvage the love and beauty of others around him like Finn and Rey reuniting.