26 pages • 52 minutes read
Thomas WolfeThe Far and the Near
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1935A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Character Analysis
The Engineer
The engineer is the protagonist and the central character in the story. He is described as an aging man who has spent his entire career driving a train loaded with passengers. Through his daily experiences passing the woman, her daughter, and her house, he develops a deep emotional connection and attachment. The engineer represents the longing for stability, beauty, and meaning in a life filled with perils and hardships. His character’s nostalgia and disillusionment reflects the time in which the story was written, which was fraught with rapid changes, industrialization, and advancing technology. He embodies a sense of yearning for the unchanging aspects that provide solace in an ever-changing world.
The engineer is initially presented as a dedicated and experienced individual who has spent more than 20 years driving the train that passes by the little house. His commitment to his job is evident, as he has witnessed various tragedies and dangers on the tracks and still carried on with his daily route. This experience has weathered him, leaving him marked with the wisdom and grandeur that comes with years of loyal service. Despite his hardships, the engineer finds peace and happiness in the sight of the little house and the woman and her daughter waving to him. Their presence has become an enduring symbol of beauty and constancy in his life, something immune to change and ruin. The engineer’s deep affection for them and their home is compared to the tenderness a man feels for his children, highlighting their profound impact on him.
The engineer transforms when he finally decides to visit the house after retiring from his long years of service. Upon arrival, he is met with disappointment and a sense of loss. The woman and the daughter he encounters, who had always waved to him with warmth and affection, now appear harsh and suspicious. Their demeanors contrast sharply with the image he had constructed in his mind. The vision he held so dear is shattered, and he is overwhelmed by regret, confusion, and disbelief. This encounter exposes the engineer to the harsh reality of the world he had longed to know intimately. His hope and compassion in visiting the house seem shameful as he confronts the reality that does not align with his idealized perception.
As the engineer departs, he realizes his age and the irretrievable loss of the magic he once associated with his job and the little house. The once bright and comforting vista of the rails and the imagined corner of his universe filled with hope’s desire are forever lost.
The Woman
Initially, the woman is portrayed as a consistent presence in the story, standing on the back porch of her tidy cottage and waving to the passing train every day for over 20 years. This dedication and commitment highlight her sense of loyalty and routine, mirroring the engineer’s own. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that the woman symbolizes constancy and stability in the life of the aging engineer.
She is first described as a young mother with a small child by her side, and later, the child has grown into a woman who accompanies her mother in waving to the train. This transformation is one of the many markers in this story of The Relentless Passage of Time and the cyclical nature of life. Through her role of motherhood, the older woman, along with her daughter, represents the continuity of life and the passing of traditions from one generation to the next.
Furthermore, the woman serves as an anchor for the engineer, providing him with an extraordinary sense of happiness and connection. The story describes how the vision of the woman and her house became etched in the engineer’s heart, offering him solace and beauty amidst the perils and hardships of his work. The woman symbolizes a beacon of hope and stability in the engineer’s tumultuous life, a reminder of the enduring and unchanging aspects that give meaning to his existence.
However, a significant transformation occurs in the narrative when the engineer finally decides to visit the woman and her house. The woman’s physical appearance and demeanor do not match the idealized image the engineer had carried in his heart. Her face is described as harsh, pinched, and weary, devoid of the warmth and affection he had attributed to her through years of fleeting glimpses. This transformation challenges the engineer’s perception and shatters the illusion he has built around the woman. The encounter evokes a sense of bitter loss and grief within the engineer, making him regret his decision to seek out the woman he had idealized for so long. Through this transformation, the woman presents the issue of Idealized Perception Versus Reality. The stark contrast between the engineer’s romanticized perception and the woman’s true nature emphasizes the limitations of human understanding and the fallibility of idealization.
The Daughter
The daughter represents the next generation and the continuity of the waving ritual, an ever-present constant in the engineer’s life. Initially, Wolfe depicts her as a small child clinging to her mother’s skirts as they wave to the passing train. Over the years, she grows into womanhood and continues to accompany her mother on the porch and wave. Her presence signifies The Relentless Passage of Time and the cyclical nature of life, much like her mother’s presence and the repetitive train route. As the daughter takes on an active role in the ritual, she embodies the transference of traditions and the connection between generations. Her role contributes to a sense of nostalgia, longing, and the fleeting nature of human connections—all topics the engineer must face and come to terms with in his new reality.
