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58 pages 1 hour read

Louise Penny

The Long Way Home

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014

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Symbols & Motifs

Paintings

Paintings are an important motif that reoccurs throughout the novel, contributing to plot development and the exploration of key themes of art, jealousy, and creativity. Clara and Peter are both well-known painters, although their styles are different. Clara’s paintings are emotionally engaging, vivid, and startling, while Peter’s initial style is quite conservative. As the plot progresses, a new set of paintings is uncovered, and it becomes clear that Peter has started to paint in a bolder and more innovative style. Paintings by Norman (initially attributed to Massey) also play a significant role in the plot and the investigation of the mystery. As a motif, paintings create an opportunity for ekphrasis (the detailed description of visual art as a literary device), and they illuminate the importance of personal vision. They create an intriguing context for a murder mystery since it seems there should be a juxtaposition between the beauty of art and the grotesque violence of murder; however, the novel implies that the world of art easily lends itself to “casual cruelty. The hypocrisy. The ugly business of selling beautiful creations” (137). By contrasting ugliness and beauty in the art world, Penny adds greater depth to the traditional murder mystery genre.

Gamache’s Book (The Balm in Gilead)

Throughout the novel, Gamache shows devotion to a specific book, which becomes a symbol of healing from past trauma. At the beginning of the novel, Clara is puzzled because Gamache reads from the book every morning but never moves beyond a marked page. Later, Gamache explains that his father was reading this book on the night that he died and that he is unable to read beyond the page where his father stopped reading. The book contains messages of healing and hope, and it serves to introduce a theme of courage that becomes important to the novel. The book becomes symbolic of the possibility of healing because it references “mak[ing] the wounded whole” (39), and “cur[ing] the sin-sick soul” (39). At the end of Penny’s novel, Gamache finally reads beyond the marked page, taking “a deep breath and start[ing] forward” (373). Gamache lays down a burden of grief he has carried since childhood. The symbolism is enhanced by Clara simultaneously stepping into a new life now that Peter is gone. While the book is a personal symbol for Gamache, he reads it in the company of others, and it becomes part of their shared experience. This symbolism implies that people can heal through belonging to a caring community.

Asbestos

Asbestos (a fibrous material widely used in construction until its toxicity was recognized) is eventually revealed as an unexpected and unusual murder weapon. It also carries a symbolic function in the novel. Asbestos is an innovation that initially seemed to be good and helpful; its danger was heightened because of how long its toxicity went unrecognized. When Gamache and Jean-Guy first learn about the substance, they describe it as “a savior that killed” (317). Even those who know asbestos is toxic would not necessarily identify it as dangerous, because at first glance it seems to be an innocuous powder. Because of these properties, asbestos functions as a symbol of how appearances can be deceiving and danger can be hidden. Massey, the killer, initially seems pleasant, kind, and helpful but, like his weapon of choice, he poses hidden dangers. The symbolism of asbestos is also powerful because the toxin works slowly and almost undetectably over long periods. In a novel where jealousy is an important theme, asbestos is the perfect murder weapon because it functions on the body as jealousy functions on the soul. A small exposure might seem insignificant, but it festers and poisons over time.

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