30, September 2026
ALIENATION IN THOMAS WOLFE’S LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL
Author(s): Dr. Lathavelavan, Ms. Mini Stanley, Ms. Maya P. R., Dr. A.Geetha
Authors Affiliations:
1,2,3,4(Department of English, Sri Sairam Engineering College/ Anna University , Chennai India)
DOIs:10.2015/IJIRMF/202609009 | Paper ID: IJIRMF202609009Abstract
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Thomas Wolfe’s Look Homeward, Angel: A Story of the Buried Life is a powerful exploration of loneliness, estrangement and the individual’s search for love, identity and belonging. The novel traces the early life of Eugene Gant and presents alienation not merely as a personal condition but as a pervasive experience shared by the members of the Gant family. Eugene’s isolation begins in childhood and is intensified by his inability to communicate with others, his rejection at school, emotional neglect within the family and repeated disappointments in love. His father, Oliver Gant, and his mother, Eliza, are also alienated, though for different reasons: Oliver is driven by restless appetite and dissatisfaction, while Eliza is absorbed in money, property and business. This paper examines the psychological, familial, social and spiritual dimensions of alienation in the novel. It argues that Wolfe presents alienation as the consequence of failed communication, selfishness, incompatible desires and the human longing for a meaningful connection with others. At the same time, Eugene’s imagination, reading and dreams become temporary means of escape from the painful world around him
Key Words: Alienation, loneliness, Eugene Gant, family conflict, communication, imagination, spiritual isolation, Thomas Wolfe.
Dr. Lathavelavan, Ms. Mini Stanley, Ms. Maya P. R., Dr. A.Geetha (2026); ALIENATION IN THOMAS WOLFE’S LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL, International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, ISSN(O): 2455-0620, Vol-12, Issue-9, Available on – https://www.ijirmf.com/