# Alienation and Loneliness in Look Homeward, Angel

> Theme guide for Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe.

Characters like Eugene, Ben, and Oliver are portrayed as strangers in their own lives, isolated from others and haunted by a sense of exile, as captured in the epigraph's question: 'Which of us is not forever a stranger and alone?'

## Where it surfaces

- [Epigraph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-i-epigraph): The epigraph emphasizes the universal human condition of being 'forever a stranger and alone,' highlighting existential isolation.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-i-iii): Oliver feels like a stranger in his own life, alienated from his wife and community, while Eliza's solitary planning underscores her emotional distance from him.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-i-viii): Eliza recognizes Eugene's 'remote and intangible loneliness'; he is isolated from siblings and finds solace only in books and Ben.
- [The Paradox of Generosity and the Burden of Family](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-i-x): Ben's profound isolation is a central focus; he is described as a 'stranger' in his own home, walking alone in the darkness. Eugene also experiences alienation, feeling that his secret world is ridiculed and that he must navigate the 'torturing paradox' of his family's values alone.
- [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-i-xi): Eugene feels ashamed, trapped, and isolated at Dixieland; the family's separation leaves Ben and Luke in limbo.
- [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-i-xii): Eugene feels isolated at Dixieland, surrounded by dull boarders and the oppressive winter atmosphere.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-ii-xiv): Ben moves through the night as a solitary, scowling figure, detached from the others around him, and his interactions are marked by cynicism and distance.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-ii-xv): Eugene experiences full delight in loneliness, feels walled by imagination, and is severed from former friendships.
- [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-ii-xxii): Eugene feels isolated in his work and family life, struggling with the meaninglessness of his efforts at Dixieland and the harsh realities of his paper route.
- [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-ii-xxv): Ben's bitter questioning of life's purpose and his contempt for the town's idle routines highlight his profound sense of isolation.
- [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-iii-xxix): Eugene's physical isolation in a bare room and his withdrawal from the common life around him highlight his deep loneliness and scornful pride.
- [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-iii-xxxi): Eugene feels profoundly alone despite being surrounded by people; he cannot share his heart with Margaret Leonard and finds only fleeting comfort with Irene Mallard.
- [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-iii-xxxii): Eugene feels alienated from his family and later from his roommate's death, longing for solitude and independence.
- [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-iii-xxxiii): Eugene feels like a ghost among the living; Ben is described as a ghost prowling the streets, finding no doors.
- [Chapter XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-iii-xxxiv): Eugene feels isolated as most of his peers enlist, and Ben is alienated by his rejection from the army and his sense of futility.
- [Chapter XXXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-iii-xxxvii): Eugene feels profoundly alone, even among family, and the inner voice urges him to escape or die, underscoring his isolation.
- [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-iii-xxxviii): Despite his popularity, Eugene feels isolated and paranoid, believing others mock him; he experiences a deep loneliness and fear of exposure.
- [Chapter XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/chapters/part-iii-xl): Eugene stands alone in the dark Square, feeling lost and disconnected, even in conversation with Ben.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/themes/alienation_and_loneliness
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/look_homeward_angel_se/themes