In Memoriam Chapter Forty-five Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
In December 1918, Ellwood and Gaunt are living in a large house near the British embassy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, arranged by Roseveare's uncle William Meyrick. Ellwood wears a custom black silk and whalebone mask covering the left side of his face, made after the Armistice. He finds that the mask allows him to feel mysterious rather than disfigured. Both men work at the embassy: Gaunt handles paperwork efficiently, while Ellwood excels at cocktail parties where his poetry is still remembered and praised. After a year of not writing, Ellwood tentatively begins to write again.
Three weeks into their stay, Ellwood receives a telegram informing him of his mother's death from the Spanish flu. He and Gaunt react cautiously; they have been physically intimate but emotionally guarded since their reunion. Ellwood snaps at Gaunt's suggestion to skip a dinner engagement, revealing his guilt over his last cold goodbye to his mother. In a pivotal exchange, Ellwood asks Gaunt to call him by his first name, Sidney. Gaunt complies, declaring that this means he plans to keep him. Ellwood wishes he could cry but feels only a dry, barren ache. Gaunt holds him and repeats his name.
Key Events
- Ellwood and Gaunt settle into a luxurious house in Rio de Janeiro with marmoset monkeys and a swimming pool.
- Ellwood wears a custom mask to conceal his facial disfigurement, restoring a sense of charm.
- Both men take embassy roles: Gaunt excels at paperwork, Ellwood at parties where his poetry gains recognition.
- Ellwood receives a telegram announcing his mother's death from the Spanish flu.
- Ellwood lashes out at Gaunt for offering to skip a dinner, exposing his guilt about his last cold interaction with his mother.
- Gaunt calls Ellwood by his first name 'Sidney' for the first time, reaffirming his commitment to keep him.
Character Development
- Ellwood (Sidney): Continues to struggle with identity and self-worth after his war injuries. The mask helps him feel mysterious but also hides his true self from others, including Gaunt. His inability to cry after his mother's death signals emotional drought and unresolved grief. His outburst shows lingering anger and guilt, while his request for Gaunt to use his first name reveals a longing for intimacy and permanence.
- Gaunt: Remains devoted and patient, having recovered from the Spanish flu without Ellwood's knowledge. He is cautious about emotional vulnerability but finally takes the step of calling Ellwood by his first name, fulfilling a promise he made to himself. His fierce declaration that this means he is keeping Ellwood indicates a shift toward open commitment.
- Their relationship: The couple shares physical intimacy but avoids deep conversations and eye contact during sex. The moment of calling Sidney marks a breakthrough in trust, though unresolved tensions remain.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The Mask: Symbolizes Ellwood's attempt to control how others perceive him, hiding his disfigurement behind a conceit of mystery. It also represents the emotional barriers between him and Gaunt.
- Inability to Cry: Ellwood's dry eyes after his mother's death reflect a deeper emotional paralysis—a symptom of trauma that prevents him from processing loss.
- First Names as Commitment: Gaunt's promise to only call Ellwood 'Sidney' when he is sure he can keep him transforms a simple name into a vow of lifelong devotion.
- The Spanish Flu: The pandemic that killed Ellwood's mother also threatened Gaunt and Maud, serving as a reminder of mortality and the randomness of loss in the post-war world.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 45 is a crucial turning point in Ellwood and Gaunt's reconciliation. After more than two years apart, their reunion has been cautious and emotionally stunted. The death of Ellwood's mother forces buried guilt and longing to the surface, breaking through the surface of their careful routine. Gaunt's decision to call Ellwood by his first name, and his fierce promise to keep him, marks the first deliberate step toward rebuilding a life together. The chapter also explores how war injuries—both physical and psychological—continue to shape identity long after the fighting stops.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Ellwood react so angrily when Gaunt suggests skipping the dinner after learning of his mother's death?
Ellwood's anger stems from guilt and self-recrimination. He remembers his cold, standoffish goodbye to his mother and had assumed he would have years to make amends. Gaunt's offer feels like an excuse to avoid social obligations, and Ellwood projects his own failures onto Gaunt, refusing to let his mother's death become a justification for withdrawal. -
What does the mask represent for Ellwood at this point in the story?
The black silk mask allows Ellwood to feel charming and new rather than disfigured. It gives him control over how others see him—they might think him mysterious rather than damaged. However, the mask also creates a barrier between him and Gaunt, symbolizing his reluctance to be fully vulnerable even with the person he loves. -
Why does Gaunt wait so long to call Ellwood by his first name, and what does his eventual use of 'Sidney' signify?
Gaunt made a personal promise long ago that he would only call Ellwood 'Sidney' when he was certain he could keep him permanently. By using the name after Ellwood's request, Gaunt signals that he is ready to commit fully to their relationship, despite the uncertainties of their post-war lives. The name becomes a verbal seal of his devotion.