Angle of Repose (Part VI thru End)

[Janine]

Please discuss Angle of Repose from Part VI through to the end in this thread.

[Irene]

I finished this one last night. How is everyone else coming on the reading of this one? What do you think of it?

How did you respond to the switching of focus? At times we were listening to the musings/observations of Lyman in the form of a recorded diary, other times we heard Lyman speculate about his grandparents' motivations, feelings and thoughts, and other times we were reading Susan's story directly. Why did the author use three literary voices/focuses? Did juxtaposing Susan's and Lyman's stories give you any insights that either's story alone could not provide?

What is the meaning of the title? Did Susan and Oliver find their point of rest in their personal or marital lives? If so, is this a positive image of finding some sense of peace with one's lot or a negative image of resignation or giving up?

Why give us a narrator who is a historian and who can't turn his neck to see any direction other than what is in front of him? What is Stegner trying to say about perception or time or whatever?

What did you make of Susan and her insistence on maintaining Victorian social norms out on the Prairie? Was this a sign of inner strength or weakness, of an integrity to one's values or an inability to adapt?

Lyman speculates that young Oliver saw or understood something so awful that he was unable to return home for 10 years. What do you think caused young Oliver to stay away from the Idaho land he loved so much and the close knit family for a decade?

[George]

I read this novel a year ago and do not have a copy of the book so cannot begin to answer any of the questions above. I enjoyed the story. Oliver and Susan are interesting independent characters. The tragedy lead to the marriage losing it's intimacy. The historical information on mining engineering in the West made the novel a richer experience. Certainly glad I read this novel.

If you like Stegner's writing style then I recommend Crossing to Safety, (277 pages). One of my all time favourite novels. It's about how two couples friendship lasted the course of their lifetime. (Four different interesting characters you become so involved in). It finishes beautifully and if you stay dry eyed you are one tough cookie.

[Irene]

I want to read Crossing to Safety. I have seen it on several must read lists.