51 pages • 1 hour read
Robert HarrisConclave
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2016A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Frescoes
The frescoes of the Sistine Chapel feature prominently in the novel, symbolically reminding Cardinal Lomeli of what is at stake for the future pope.
The Last Judgment, for instance, is the subject of Lomeli’s fixation across a number of ballots. He reflects upon the chaos and turmoil of Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco, which reminds him of the divisiveness of the conclave and the destruction of the world around them.
Another fresco plays a significant role in the narrative, however, directly inspiring Lomeli to act and turn the tide of the conclave. In Chapter 6, Lomeli reflects upon Michelangelo’s fresco depicting the crucifixion of St. Peter, the first pope. The image inspires uneasiness in the dean, as he feels as though he is being judged as too unworthy a manager for the conclave ahead. Later, in Chapter 16, the fresco reappears after a car-bomb attack disturbs the conclave. Lomeli prays before it seeking guidance. He interprets the smoke around St. Peter and conflates it with the smoke of the bomb, reminding him that St. Peter lived in turmoil as well. This emboldens Lomeli to carry on with the conclave and see it to its end.
The Sealed Apartment
The sealed apartment of the late pope is a symbol of Church tradition. After the pope dies, one of the first acts Tremblay carries out is the sealing of the door with wax. Because the pope’s apartment contains proof of Tremblay’s corruption, the act of sealing represents the protection he gives himself by leveraging the traditions and practices of the Church to his advantage. Naturally, after the college discovers that Lomeli had broken into the apartment to retrieve the documents, Tremblay tries to weaponize Lomeli’s trespass in his defense.
Lomeli takes responsibility for the act of breaking into the pope’s apartment, but the act is symbolic for his character development as well. Faced with the choice of breaking into the apartment, Lomeli must decide whether he values Church tradition over the truth. By denying the truth, he ushers Tremblay into power, allowing him to abuse the resources and power of the Church as he pleases. By breaking into the apartment, he signals his fidelity to the spirit of his role, ushering in a leader fit to fulfill the mission of the Church.
Oaths
Oaths are a prominent motif in the novel, representing Human Ambition and Divine Providence as a theme.
As they place their vote into the ballot urn, each cardinal is required to recite an oath standing by their choice: “I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected” (116). The words of the oath subtly point to the tension between the cardinal’s will and the judgment of God. Although the cardinals believe that God leads them to the correct choice of pope, they inevitably must decide from a combination of factors, including their perspectives, their political stances, and the promises of each hypothetical papacy. Despite their personal ambitions, divine providence manifests itself when the collective unites behind a single candidate.
Lomeli’s oaths are tested throughout the novel. Notably, Benítez insinuates that Lomeli is breaking his conclave oath by resigning himself to Tremblay as a compromise candidate. He reminds Lomeli that the point of the election is not to uphold the integrity of the Church as an institution but to choose a leader who can effectively shepherd the multitudes of Catholics around the world. This galvanizes Lomeli to figure out if his choice is worth standing by, resulting in the exposure of Tremblay’s sin of simony.
In Chapter 16, Lomeli’s oath is tested again. He votes for himself and declares the oath, which is immediately followed by the explosion of a nearby car-bomb attack. Symbolically, the timing of the explosion is meant to remind Lomeli not to fall back on ambition for glory. The papacy is as much a great burden as it is a gift. The next pope will have to deal with the turmoil of the modern world and to vote for himself means to take on that burden willingly, clashing with Lomeli’s ongoing crisis of faith.
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By Robert Harris
