Angle of Repose

By Wallace Stegner

“Angle of Repose” is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Wallace Stegner that explores the life of an artist through the eyes of his determined and independent wife. With powerful imagery and vivid description, Stegner uses the literary devices of metaphor and symbolism to create a moving tale of love, loss, and perseverance. The novel is a poignant examination of the human condition and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life.

Themes 📚

1. Art and Creativity: The novel explores the life of a struggling artist, and the challenges he faces in pursuing his passion. It delves into the themes of artistic expression, creativity, and the conflict between art and commerce.
2. Love and Relationships: The novel also examines the complexities of love and relationships, particularly the relationship between the protagonist’s grandparents. It explores the themes of marriage, infidelity, forgiveness, and the challenges of maintaining a long-term relationship.
3. Gender Roles and Expectations: The novel also touches on the theme of gender roles and expectations, particularly in the early 20th century. It explores the challenges faced by women who seek to assert their independence and agency in a patriarchal society.
4. Identity and Self-Discovery: The novel also delves into the themes of identity and self-discovery, particularly through the lens of the protagonist’s grandmother. It explores the search for meaning and purpose in life, and the journey towards self-realization and acceptance.
5. The American West: The novel is set against the backdrop of the American West, and explores the themes of westward expansion, the frontier, and the transformation of the American landscape. It also touches on the themes of environmental degradation, industrialization, and the impact of human activity on the natural world.

Use of Literary Devices ✍🏽

1. Symbolism: Stegner uses symbolism to convey deeper meaning and emotion in the novel. For example, the concept of “angle of repose” is a metaphor for the stability and balance sought by the characters in their relationships and in their lives.
2. Metaphor: The novel employs metaphor to help readers visualize and understand complex concepts. For example, the description of the protagonist’s grandfather as a “railroad man” symbolizes his role in the development of the American West.
3. Imagery: Stegner uses vivid imagery to create a sensory experience for the reader, particularly in his descriptions of the natural world. The setting of the American West is vividly depicted through descriptions of the landscape, flora, and fauna.
4. Flashback: The novel employs the literary device of flashback to explore the lives and experiences of the protagonist’s grandparents, and to provide context for their relationship and their struggles.
5. Foreshadowing: Stegner uses foreshadowing to create tension and anticipation in the novel, particularly in his portrayal of the protagonist’s grandfather’s declining health and the subsequent impact on his family.
6. Irony: The novel also employs irony to convey the contradictions and complexities of human behavior. For example, the protagonist’s grandmother is initially critical of her husband’s artistic pursuits, but ultimately comes to value and appreciate his work.
7. Allusion: Stegner uses allusion to reference other literary works and cultural artifacts, particularly in his descriptions of the art and literature of the time.
8. Personification: The novel also employs personification to give human qualities to non-human entities. For example, the river is described as having a personality and character of its own.
9. Motif: The novel employs the literary device of motif, particularly in its repeated use of the concept of “angle of repose” to explore the themes of stability and balance in relationships and in life.
10. Epiphany: The novel also explores the concept of epiphany, particularly in the protagonist’s grandmother’s journey towards self-discovery and acceptance. Her realization of her own desires and needs is a powerful moment of growth and transformation.

Examples of Literary Devices 📋

Literary Device: Imagery

Example	Explanation
“The sun was setting on the shaggy rump of the mountain range.”	This example creates a vivid image of the mountain range, which is described as “shaggy” and the sun setting behind it. It allows the reader to visualize the setting and atmosphere of the scene.
“The smell of sagebrush filled the air, and the wind sighed through the junipers.”	This example creates a sensory experience for the reader by describing the scent of sagebrush and the sound of the wind through the junipers. It immerses the reader into the scene and helps them feel more connected to the characters and setting.
“The snow was packed so hard on the road that it rang under the horses’ hooves.”	This example creates a tactile experience for the reader by describing the hardness of the snow on the road and the sound it makes under the horses’ hooves. It helps the reader feel the cold and harshness of the winter environment.

Literary Device: Symbolism

Example	Explanation
The Wheelchair	The wheelchair that Susan, one of the characters, uses represents her physical limitations but also her strength and determination to overcome them. It is a symbol of both her struggle and her triumphs.
The Bridge	The bridge that Oliver, another character, designs represents his desire to connect people and places. It is a symbol of his creativity and ambition to build something that will last beyond his lifetime.
The River	The river that runs through the novel is a powerful symbol of time and change. It represents the constant flow of life and the way that people and places are always evolving. It is a reminder that nothing stays the same forever.

Literary Device: Foreshadowing

Example	Explanation
“I was learning to accept my own transience, my insignificance, which was a good lesson, a Zen lesson, anyway.”	This example foreshadows the narrator’s eventual acceptance of his own mortality and the impermanence of life. It sets up a theme that is explored throughout the novel.
“I felt that I was no longer simply observing the world, but that the world and I were part of each other, that the world was in me and I in the world.”	This example foreshadows the narrator’s growing sense of connection to the natural world and his realization that he is not separate from it. It sets up a theme that is explored throughout the novel.
“The idea of living there, of living permanently in such a remote and beautiful place, made him a little giddy.”	This example foreshadows the character’s desire to settle down and build a home in the wilderness. It sets up a conflict that arises later in the novel when he must confront the reality of living in such an isolated place.

FAQs 💭