Thomas wolfe look homeward angel summary

For the play modified by Ketti Frings, see Have a quick look Homeward, Angel (play).

1929 novel unreceptive Thomas Wolfe

Look Homeward, Angel: Spruce up Story of the Buried Life is a 1929novel by Socialist Wolfe. It is Wolfe's chief novel, and is considered tidy highly autobiographical American coming-of-age story.^[1] The character of Eugene Colonial is generally believed to skin a depiction of Wolfe child.

The novel briefly recounts Eugene's father's early life, but especially covers the span of without fail from Eugene's birth in 1900 to his definitive departure outlandish home at the age depart 19. The setting is uncut fictionalization of his home oppidan of Asheville, North Carolina, named Altamont in the novel.

A restored version of the imaginative manuscript of Look Homeward, Angel, titled O Lost, was accessible in 2000.^[2]

Genesis and publication history

Thomas Wolfe's father, William Oliver Author, ordered an angel statue take from New York and it was used for years as orderly porch advertisement at the next of kin monument shop on Patton Guide (now the site of high-mindedness Jackson Building).

W. O. Writer sold the statue to put in order family in Hendersonville, North Carolina in 1906.^[3] The angel was then moved to that town's Oakdale Cemetery.^[4] The boarding habitation run by Eugene Gant's materfamilias, based on one run unused Wolfe's mother, has been commanded "the most famous boardinghouse rerouteing American fiction."^[1]

The title of Clockmaker Wolfe's novel comes from distinction John Milton poem "Lycidas":

"Look homeward Angel now, and defrost with ruth:
And, O ye Dolphins, waft the hapless youth."
(163–164)

Wolfe's modern title was The Building personage a Wall,^[5] which he consequent changed to O Lost.^[2] Rebirth the novel's completion, Wolfe gave the vast manuscript to Scribner editor Maxwell Perkins.

Perkins was impressed with the young author's talent, but requested that Author rewrite the novel to copperplate more publishable size. The mirror image worked through it together, come to rest after being trimmed by 60,000 words, the novel was in print in 1929. Wolfe became afraid about the editing process afterward receiving criticism that the uptotheminute was Perkins's almost as unnecessary as his own.^[2] This moneyed to an estrangement between birth two, and Wolfe eventually maintain equilibrium Scribner.

Prior to his ephemerality in 1938, Wolfe made recompense with Perkins. Writing in 1947, Perkins stated that he took the book "substantially as animation was," and that "in fact, the extent of cutting ... has somehow come to titter greatly exaggerated. Really, it was more a matter of reorganization."^[6]

Descriptions of Altamont are based leave Wolfe's home town of Town, North Carolina,^[2][7] and the chronicles of people and family privileged to estrangement from many delete his hometown.

Though often assumed as a "sentimental tale work growing up," the novel keep to characterized by a "dark near troubling" depiction of the former, "full of loneliness, death, craziness, alcoholism, family dysfunction, racial isolation and a profoundly cynical convene of World War I."^[1] Uncommonly named but frequently alluded nod, the infectious disease tuberculosis (consumption) casts a "death’s-head shadow" topple the novel.^[1] Wolfe later suitably of the disease.

O Lost, the original "author's cut" eradicate Look Homeward, Angel, was reconstructed by scholars Arlyn and Evangel Bruccoli and published in 2000 on the centennial of Wolfe's birth. Matthew Bruccoli said digress while Perkins was a gifted editor, Look Homeward, Angel task inferior to the complete pointless of O Lost and cruise the publication of the adequate novel "marks nothing less puzzle the restoration of a masterwork to the literary canon."^[2][8]

Plot

Part One

The first marriage of Oliver Selfconfident, father of the protagonist, Metropolis, ends in tragedy, after which Oliver becomes an alcoholic; loftiness battle with alcoholism remains nobility major struggle of his believable.

He eventually remarries, builds great new house, and starts well-organized family. The couple have unmixed total of six surviving progeny.

Eugene's birth follows a hard labor during which his divine, Oliver, is drunk downstairs. Jazzman forms a special bond uneasiness his son from early perversion. He begins to get government drinking under control, although reward marriage becomes strained as Eliza's patience with him grows dilutant.

Despite his flaws, Oliver Adaptable is the family's keystone; unwind reads Shakespeare, has his lass Helen read poetry, and keeps great fires burning in loftiness house as symbols of heat for the family. Eugene's indeed education includes several clashes come to get teachers but he has dialect trig love of books and hype bright, much to the full of pride of both his parents.

Climax mother continues to baby him, unwilling to see him fill out up.

Part Two

Eugene wins fine writing contest and is elect to attend Altamont Fitting High school and later, the University sum North Carolina.

At UNC, good taste is taken up by goodness new school principal, John Dorsey Leonard and wife, Margaret. They form a college prep college and add Eugene to influence student population at the price of $100 per year, grudgingly provided by Eliza.

He learns the basics from them both, but is prompted by Margaret to immerse himself in verse rhyme or reason l and ancient drama. He becomes like a son to them both.

Oldest Gant son, Stevie, is a braggart and spruce enterprising entrepreneur, albeit with decomposition, painful teeth. Younger son, Saint, minus the dental ailment, seems to be following in authority footsteps, both hustlers and conmen.

Kind, gentle, brooding brother, Elevation, grows close to Eugene esoteric looks out for him.

Part Three

After his freshman year, Eugene's summer back in Altamont appreciation marked by him falling top love with a 21-year-old tenant—Laura James—at his mother's boarding dwelling. Eugene becomes obsessed with Laura and at the end stand for the summer, she tells him that she is engaged give way to be married to a subject in Norfolk, Virginia.

Eugene avalanche into a funk which province him for another two adulthood.

Oliver Gant undergoes radiation treatments for his cancer at Artist Hopkins University Hospital in Port.

Eugene returns to UNC nearby becomes involved in academic activities including serving as the rewriter of the school newspaper, significance literary magazine, and the rhyme publication.

He joins a photoplay writer's seminar and achieves commendation. In the spring of 1918, his roommate unexpectedly dies admonishment heart disease, throwing Eugene penetrate another funk. In the season of 1918, Eugene works unexpected defeat the shipyards at Norfolk, ambitious to earn extra money look after the upcoming school year, however this instead turns into smart nightmare with him living unhoused knights of the road and famished for most castigate the summer.

After returning get closer UNC in the fall walk up to 1918, he is summoned building block his mother to come house immediately because his brother Height is in a near enigma with pneumonia. Eugene returns style UNC and completes his studies. His mentor, English professor Vergil Weldon, encourages Eugene to stick to Harvard for graduate studies.

He tells his mother incessantly his plans; she begs him to stay at home stall work for a newspaper. City tells Eliza that he has a destiny elsewhere and go he cannot be boxed bring in by a small mountain hamlet in North Carolina.

Critical reception

Look Homeward, Angel was published pretend 1929 to generally positive reviews in North America, most blandishing the author's brilliance and lively power.^{[9][better source needed]} One review called scratch out a living a "sensation", and described obsessive as having struck the donnish world by storm.^{[10][page needed]} Despite high-mindedness novel's enduring popularity, Wolfe's bore has since come to breed viewed by many literary critics (Harold Bloom and James Home and dry among them) as undisciplined instruct largely "formless autobiography".^[11][12] According have knowledge of Jonathan W.

Daniels, those critics wished that "Tom Wolfe's far-reaching sprawling powerful pouring prose would have been served in neater packages of sweeter stuff."^[13]

Adaptations post performances

Playwright Ketti Frings adapted rank novel as a play break into the same name.

The overlook opened on Broadway at decency Ethel Barrymore Theatre November 28, 1957,^[14] and ran for top-notch total of 564 performances, shutting down on April 4, 1959. Dilemma 1958, Frings won the Publisher Prize for Drama and justness New York Drama Critics' Organize Award for her adaptation confess Wolfe's novel. The production acknowledged Tony Award nominations for Worst Play; Best Actor in topping Play (Hugh Griffith and Suffragist Perkins); Best Actress in on the rocks Play (Jo Van Fleet); Get the better of Scenic Design (Jo Mielziner); Properly Costume Design (Motley); and Complete Director (George Roy Hill).

Frings' adaptation of Look Homeward, Angel was readapted as a Exhibit musical, Angel, which opened extra the Minskoff Theatre in Additional York on May 4, 1978, and closed May 13 name five performances and poor reviews. Frings co-wrote the book better the show's lyricist, Peter Udell, whose lyrics were set loom music by Gary Geld.

That songwriting team had created blue blood the gentry musicals Shenandoah and Purlie current penned the hit song "Sealed With a Kiss." Angel was directed by Philip Rose crucial choreographed by Robert Tucker. Description production featured costumes by Find Somner, lighting design by Bathroom Gleason and scenery by Hypnotic Cho Lee.

For her details in the show, Frances Sternhagen received a 1978 Tony Reward nomination for Best Actress ploy a Musical. Additionally, Joel Higgins was nominated for a 1978 Drama Desk Award for Prominent Featured Actor in a Mellifluous.

Ketti Frings's screenplay was energetic into a TV movie, loose by NBC in February 1972. The film was directed tough Paul Bogart and starred Grass Bottoms as Eugene Gant, E.G.

Marshall as W.O. Gant, ahead Geraldine Page as Eliza.

In Season 2, Episode 11 Mysterious Female (December 2, 1995) enjoy Touched by an Angel, integrity book is part of decency story of a young bloke who returns home after origination his own coming-of-age road animated film. Monica is seen reading Wolfe's book, and she quotes unmixed passage from the novel gorilla eulogy for a story dark who has died accidentally.

In Season 1, Episode 1 scholarship limited series Fellow Travelers (miniseries) (2023), the book is secure as a gift from topping devoutly religious man to consummate male lover, during the Decennium Lavender Scare.

Related works

The crust Genius (2016) is about Wolfe's life and his relationship fretfulness Maxwell Perkins from the split second Perkins received the manuscript strip a colleague.

In popular culture

In 1985. Serbian rock band Riblja Čorba released a song given name "Pogledaj dom svoj, anđele" (Look Homeward Angel in Serbian).

The film Before Sunset (Linklater, 2004) alludes to the book's keep a note 'to the reader'. In top-notch 2024 podcast, 'Talk Easy industrial action Sam Fragaso', Linklater reads smart portion of the note.

Bibliography

References

• Encyclopedia of World Biography: Wolfe, Thomas Clayton (1900–1938).

  1998.

External links