61 pages • 2 hours read
Thomas WolfeLook Homeward, Angel
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1929A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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BetaSymbols & Motifs
Angel
From the title to the physical angels stored in Gant’s stone-cutting shop, angels pervade the novel as symbols of unrealized desires. Gant is first drawn to the art of stone-cutting by the face of an angel, which awakens within him a desire to express himself through creation. When he is unable to realize his dream of carving an angel’s face, the most human quality of the angel statue, Gant falls into cycles of self-destruction. Angels are connected to Ben, who communicates with his angel throughout his life and is often caught commiserating with his angel about the futility and frivolity of life around him. Born a twin, Ben is left without his brother Grover after his death in childhood; the angel seems to take Grover’s place as Ben enters adulthood. The abrupt disruption of the twins’ bond leaves Ben empty and without purpose until they are reunited in death, as evidenced when Ben opens his eyes wearing an expression of recognition just before dying. Angels also prove significant to Eugene, who observes their movements in the final chapter and realizes that he, too, has a right to live and move in the current moment, and that his journey to find himself will remain unfulfilled until he leaves Altamont forever.
Bell
The sound of ringing bells punctuates Eugene’s experience from infancy and beyond. As a conscious child observing the world from his crib, Eugene hears bells ringing in the distance. As he reads in his signature brooding fashion, he hears the sound of church bells, again in the distance. The sound of the school bell ushers Eugene through his education, which helps him rise above his social status. In adulthood, he escapes from the monotony of campus life to express his great imaginative spirit by ringing the bells of strangers in nearby towns, hoping to rouse an audience for his performances. While Eugene initially listens to the bells from a distance, they come to figure prominently in his escapes from reality. Eugene calls this period in his life the “golden years,” when he hits upon a source of true joy that he will further explore at Harvard, where he intends to study the great literary masters whose names he adopts.
Illness or Disease
Wolfe’s novel does not shy away from describing in detail the various illnesses and diseases that plague the Gant family. A variety of ailments are documented, from the sudden and unexpected to the familiar and anticipated, particularly those illnesses of advanced age and lack of self-care. Each illness comments on a character’s development or lack thereof and marks a turning point in the novel. Grover’s sudden and tragic death derails Eliza’s plans to create a new life in St. Louis, and she retreats back to Altamont. Grover’s fate reveals the inevitable and unpredictable nature of death. In contrast, Gant’s illness reveals truths on a more individual level. Cancer ruins his body, enervating his once fiery spirit as well as the vivacious spirit of his daughter Helen. Gant’s illness signals that his internal strife continues to eat away at him until, by the end of the novel, he is little more than a shell of his dramatic self.
