Look Homeward, Angel · Chapter
XVIII explained
This chapter explores the shifting family dynamics among the Gants following Eliza's move to Dixieland.
What happens
This chapter explores the shifting family dynamics among the Gants following Eliza's move to Dixieland. Eugene drifts from Helen's guardianship into Ben's orbit, while Helen and Luke form an inseparable bond as the 'Gant' faction, contrasting with the 'Pentland' group of Steve, Daisy, and Eugene. The narrative also details the family's chaotic car rides, Luke's erratic driving, Gant's financial anxieties, and Steve's troubled life and letters from Indiana.
Themes in this chapter
Family Conflict and Dysfunction
The Gant family is divided into warring factions (Gant vs. Pentland), with Helen and Luke forming a tight bond while Eugene, Steve, and Daisy are marginalized.
The American Dream and Materialism
Gant's purchase of a car symbolizes both aspiration and ruin, while Steve's letters boast of wealth and success, highlighting the family's obsession with money and status.
Characters to notice
- Eugene Gant
Eugene has passed from Helen's guardianship into Ben's keeping, growing into a secretive, gangly youth with a wild inner life.
- Helen Gant
Helen's maternal affection for Eugene wanes as he becomes less physically appealing and more secretive; she aligns closely with Luke as a 'Gant' and criticizes the 'Pentland' side.
- Ben Gant
Ben now serves as Eugene's guardian, moving among the family like a shadow, remote from their passionate partisanship.
- Luke Gant
Luke is inseparable from Helen, sharing her extraversion and need to serve; he drives the family car erratically, causing chaos and terror.
- Oliver Gant
Gant is awed and terrified by his car purchase, oscillating between exaltation and despair over expenses, and often curses Luke's reckless driving.
- Eliza Gant
Eliza, now at Dixieland, continues to support Steve secretly, reading his boastful letters to the family and reviving hopes against reason.
Key passages
“In the years that had followed Eliza’s removal to Dixieland, by a slow inexorable chemistry of union and repellence, profound changes had occurred in the alignment of the Gants.”
After Eliza moved to Dixieland, the family's relationships gradually shifted, drawing some members together and pushing others apart.
This opening sentence sets up the chapter's focus on evolving family dynamics.
“It was necessary for her to seize life in her big red-knuckled hands, to cuff and caress it, to fondle, love, and enslave it.”
Helen had to physically and emotionally dominate everything she cared for, mixing affection with control.
Describes Helen's need for dominance over those she loves.
“Down through the night they tore at murderous speed, the boy laughing at curse and prayer alike as they shot past the blind menace of street-crossings.”
Luke drove recklessly through the dark streets, laughing at his father's curses and prayers as they sped dangerously through intersections.
Illustrates the chaotic and dangerous car rides that define family outings.