Angle of Repose Summary & Key Insights

Wallace Stegner's Angle of Repose tells the story of Lyman Ward, a historian recovering from a broken leg and a failed marriage, who dedicates himself to writing the biography of his grandmother, Susan Burling Ward. Through Lyman's meticulous research and piecing together of letters, diaries, and fragmented memories, the novel unfolds as a dual narrative: Lyman's present-day struggle with his life and his grandmother's past.

Susan's story forms the heart of the book. A spirited, independent woman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, she marries Oliver Ward, a renowned but emotionally distant engineer working on the construction of the railroads across the American West. Their relationship is complex and fraught with tension. Susan, a talented artist, finds herself increasingly isolated and stifled by the harsh realities of frontier life and Oliver's demanding personality. While Oliver is driven by ambition and the conquest of the West, Susan longs for intellectual and emotional fulfillment, experiencing moments of both passionate love and profound disillusionment.

The contrasting landscapes of the West—the rugged mountains, arid deserts, and burgeoning towns—mirror the emotional terrain of Susan and Oliver's marriage. Their life together is marked by periods of intense happiness, punctuated by long stretches of loneliness and unspoken resentment. Susan's artistic endeavors, a testament to her inner life, are constantly threatened by the demands of her marriage and motherhood. The societal constraints placed on women in that era play a significant role in shaping her experience.

Lyman's narrative acts as a counterpoint, offering a modern perspective on Susan's life. He grapples with his own failed marriage, mirroring in some ways the failures of his grandparents' relationship. He uses his grandmother's story as a means of understanding his own life and coming to terms with his past. The book explores themes of love, loss, ambition, and the elusive nature of happiness.

Ultimately, the "angle of repose" refers both to the geological stability of a slope and to the emotional equilibrium, or lack thereof, that individuals seek in their lives. Susan finds a certain stability in her later years, but at the cost of her artistic ambitions and a profound sense of what might have been. Lyman, through his research, comes to understand his grandmother’s life and, by extension, his own, acknowledging the compromises and sacrifices inherent in human relationships and the limitations of achieving lasting happiness. The novel’s power lies in its intricate weaving of two narratives, providing a nuanced exploration of the human condition and the complexities of love, ambition, and the American West.