Angle of Repose Love

In Angle of Repose, love is shown to be a lot more complicated than all those sappy Beatles love songs would have you believe. Sometimes, it can be a trickster, compelling you to act in ways that are strange and unfamiliar. Sometimes, it can be an inspiration, giving you the motivation to do things you never thought possible. And at other times, love can be something else entirely: evidence of some yearning need at the deepest part of your being. So, yeah—love might be all you need, but you know what they say about having too much of a good thing...

Questions About Love

1. Why does Susan fall in love with Oliver in the first place?
2. Do you think Lyman and Ellen will ever make up? Why or why not?
3. What causes Susan's attraction toward Frank?
4. Do you think Shelly will go to school or to the commune? Explain.

Chew on This

Susan falls in love with Oliver for the same reasons that she doubts her love for him later: his manliness, steadfastness, and self-sufficiency.

Although Susan certainly loves Frank, her feelings toward him primarily sprout from her dissatisfaction with her relationship with Oliver.