Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
"Angle of Repose" is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Wallace Stegner that intricately weaves together the past and present through the lens of Lyman Ward, a historian grappling with his own disability. The narrative centers on Ward's exploration of his grandparents' lives—Oliver and Susan Burling Ward—who navigated the challenges of settling the American West during the late 19th century. Oliver, an engineer, and Susan, an artist and writer, face numerous struggles, including Susan's disillusionment with her new life in the West and the emotional toll of a tragic family loss.
The title refers to a geological concept that symbolizes stability, reflecting the complexities of the Ward family's experiences. Through letters and Lyman's reflections, the novel delves into themes of identity, loss, and the struggle for personal reconciliation. As Lyman seeks to understand and document his grandparents' marriage, he confronts his own painful past, including his wife's infidelity and his fractured relationships with family. Ultimately, "Angle of Repose" is not just a historical account but a profound exploration of human connection and the possibility of forgiveness. This rich narrative provides a vivid portrait of life in the American West while examining the emotional landscapes of its characters.
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Angle of Reaidpose by Wallace Stegner
First published: 1971
The Work
Angle of Repose, which won, in 1972, the Pulitzer Prize for Wallace Stegner, unites past and present in telling two stories: Lyman Ward’s history of his grandparents and his need to keep his identity and independence as he copes with his disability. Lyman, a historian forced to retire because of a debilitating disease, wants to write about the marriage of his grandparents, Oliver Ward and Susan Burling Ward, an author, artist, and illustrator. Oliver was an engineer and manager of mines, and Lyman’s history chronicles the couple’s settlement of the West in the late 1800’s. The title is taken from the geological term meaning the angle at which dirt, pebbles, and sand no longer roll.
Through Susan’s letters to her friend Augusta, Lyman sketches out his grandparents’ life, filling in the areas with what he assumes must have happened. Susan, a young woman who is on the brink of entering New York society, shocks everyone when she marries Oliver Ward. Oliver moves to New Almaden, California, and Susan goes out to him later. Susan’s belief that her move to the West is temporary and her wish to be back in New York society make adjusting to her new life difficult. She finds the West vulgar and disappointing. In her isolation, Susan turns to drawing the unusual sights around her and writing short sketches, which she sells to help support the family.
During Oliver’s attempts to mine and irrigate the West, he and Susan live in New Almaden and Santa Cruz, California; Leadville, Colorado; Michoacán, Mexico; Idaho; and Grass Valley, California, where Oliver finally finds his place as the manager of the Zodiac mine. Oliver and Susan have difficult times, including a two-year separation following the drowning of their five-year-old daughter, Agnes. Oliver blames Susan for their daughter’s death because he believes Susan had been secretly meeting his assistant, Frank Sargent, when Agnes drowned.
For Lyman, who had sought refuge in the past of his grandparents in order to escape his wife’s infidelity and desertion of him and his son’s attempts to take away his independence, the past is as relevant and painful as the present. Although Lyman thought his grandparents lived at the angle of repose, he discovers they were emotionally separated by Agnes’ death. In exploring his grandparents’ past, Lyman learns about himself and at the end of the novel begins to think it is possible for him to forgive his wife and reconcile with his son.
Bibliography
Abrahams, William. “The Real Thing.” Atlantic Monthly, April, 1971, 96-97. Penetrating eval-uation of Angle of Repose. Applauds Stegner for making this fictional connection with an important past.
Etulain, Richard W. Conversations with Wallace Stegner on Western History and Literature. Rev. ed. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1990.
Lewis, Merrill, and Lorene Merrill. Wallace Stegner. Boise, Idaho: Boise State College, 1972.
Proffitt, Steve. “Wallace Stegner: An Interview.” Los Angeles Times, June 7, 1992, M3. This interview, published a year before Stegner’s death, focuses on some of the writer’s most central concerns. Reveals a great deal about Stegner’s approach to the West as a literary setting.
Robinson, Forrest G., and Margaret G. Robinson. Wallace Stegner. Boston: Twayne, 1977. Offers an extended analysis of Angle of Repose and interesting insights into Stegner’s creative production generally. Useful chronology and well-constructed index.
Stegner, Wallace. Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs: Living and Writing in the West. New York: Random House, 1992.
Streitfeld, David. “Wallace Stegner and the West Years of His Life.” The Washington Post, April 15, 1993, C1-C2. This appraisal of Stegner’s writing, published shortly after his death, makes brief but cogent statements about his major work, including Angle of Repose. Credits Stegner with considerable artistic integrity.