In Memoriam

Gaunt is the second primary protagonist in In Memoriam. At the start of the novel, he turns 18 years old. He is a student at Preshute. Unlike the delicate Ellwood, Gaunt is large and “intimidating” (335), as he is tall with broad shoulders. He frequently gets in fights at school, often defending Ellwood or other boys who are bullied. Since childhood, he has been in love with Ellwood but has hidden his feelings, both because of the fear of being persecuted and because of his conviction that Ellwood does not feel the same about him. 

Gaunt speaks openly against the war at the start of the novel, unable to understand why Germany’s actions should affect him or even England. However, due to his mother’s German heritage, his uncle is arrested and held as a spy. Then, he is given a white feather by a woman in town who assumes that he is old enough to enlist and chooses not to, ultimately shaming him into enlisting in the war.

In contrast to Ellwood, Gaunt is largely a static character throughout the novel. Though he changes because of the war, haunted by nightmares and physically injured, he remains an objector to the war throughout. Unlike the others, he recognizes the humanity within the German soldiers, befriending several of them and providing food to one of the guards in the prison. 

The internal conflict that Gaunt faces throughout the novel conveys the theme of Personal Desire Versus Societal Expectation. While he does not believe that he should fight in the war, he does so out of anger and shame after receiving the white feather. Additionally, he is promoted to captain, cares for his men, and even attempts to return to the war after escaping from a prisoner of war camp. Ultimately, the feeling of duty that is placed upon him by society causes him to fight—even if he holds onto his beliefs that the war is wrong and that the Germans are not his enemies.

At the end of the novel, Gaunt agrees to stay in Brazil with Ellwood instead of returning to England. While he is also haunted by his war experiences, he is calmer and more openly loving than Ellwood is, with the novel’s ending implying that Ellwood might continue to heal through Gaunt’s love and support.

Devi is one of Gaunt’s friends. The two went to primary school together and then were separated when Gaunt went to Preshute. However, they meet again in Germany in a prisoner-of-war camp. Devi is largely a flat character, with little known about his character or his past. Gaunt describes him as “irrepressibly optimistic” (264), repeatedly attempting to escape from the camp despite his many failed attempts. When Gaunt, Pritchard, and Devi finally escape, Devi runs at the German soldiers trying to stop them, willing to sacrifice his life to ensure that Gaunt and Pritchard escape.

Devi, along with Charlie Pritchard, provides hope in the novel, both through their efforts to help Gaunt escape the camp and their support of his sexuality. When they confront Gaunt about his feelings for Ellwood, Devi makes jokes, commenting that Gaunt is the “Great Seducer of Men and Women the World Over,” arguing that Gaunt could have “just slept with the Kommandant” to “save time” (244). Devi’s relaxed and joking nature in regard to Gaunt’s sexuality—something that is a source of shame and fear for Gaunt—provide hope against the Societal Stigma Toward Gay Relationships. Finding support in Devi and Pritchard, Gaunt realizes that the prevailing hate against gay men is not internalized by everyone.