Prince of Tides Summary and Study Guide

Overview

• Author: Pat Conroy
• Published: 1986
• Genre: Fiction, Novel, Adult
• Setting:
  • American South and New York
  • Focus on the marshlands of South Carolina
• Themes:
  • Domestic abuse
  • Sexual violence
  • Childhood trauma
  • Environmental degradation
• Style:
  • Flashbacks, stories-within-stories, and narrative digressions
  • Lush, vivid prose
• Recognition:
  • Bestseller
  • Adapted into an Oscar-nominated film in 1991

Author Background

• Pat Conroy (1946-2016):
  • Known for his works on the American South
  • Authored memoirs and novels like The Water is Wide and The Great Santini
  • Personal experiences of family strife influenced his works
  • Experience with depression provides insights on mental health issues

Plot Summary

• Narrator: Tom Wingo (first-person)
• Family: The Wingos of Melrose Island, South Carolina
  • Henry (patriarch), Lila (mother), children (Luke, Tom, and Savannah)
• Primary Setting: 1981, New York
  • Savannah, a poet, is in psychiatric treatment after a suicide attempt
  • Tom travels to New York to aid in Savannah’s recovery
• Narrative Device:
  • Tom recounts family history to psychiatrist Dr. Susan Lowenstein

Key Events

• Childhood:
  • Wingo children caught in parents' domestic conflicts
  • Violence from Henry and societal aspirations of Lila
  • Move to Atlanta during father’s military deployment
• Trauma:
  • Family attacked by Otis Miller, leading to tragic events
  • Lila's insistence on secrecy exacerbates trauma
• Adulthood:
  • Tom's troubled marriage and connection with Susan
  • Savannah's dissociative episodes
  • Luke’s resistance against local administration and eventual demise

Climax and Resolution

• Revelation:
  • Tom reveals traumatic past to Susan
  • Family’s violent incident and its impact
• Finale:
  • Luke's death and Savannah’s healing
  • Tom reconciles with family and returns to his life
  • Ambiguity remains about Tom's love for Susan and relationships

Themes and Motifs

• Family Dynamics:
  • Complexity of love and resentment
  • Legacy of abuse and denial
• Mental Health:
  • Impact of trauma on family
  • Exploration of recovery and resilience
• Societal Expectations:
  • Struggles with appearances and societal status

Conclusion

• The novel portrays life’s messiness and the struggle to reconcile past, present, and future.
• Suggests that despite difficulties, people strive to make sense of their lives and relationships.