Family, you can never leave nor forsake them. Anne Tyler's "Searching for Caleb" examines family ties and the impact they so blatantly have on you. Tyler's use of wavering characters, Justine and her husband Duncan, explain how their misplacement did not necessarily exclude them from their " perfect family". Throughout the story Tyler describes how indecisive Justine and Duncan were, and how they both desperately longed for for what seemed to be an epiphany. After moving away from their family because of their shameful marriage, constantly moving, and changing jobs, Justine and Duncan both weren't sure where their place was in life anymore. Justine makes the comment, "It's time we learned to stay in one place".(399) Their need for new experiences left them restless, and desire for the sense of belonging. Tyler brings in the character, Caleb, Justine's grandfathers brother, to show that he too seemed to be the " black sheep" of the family. Even though Caleb left the family when he was young, Justine and Duncan realize that he carried many of the same characteristics of the Pecks. Duncan mentions, "Consider that he has remained a lone his whole lifelong, never let in anybody who wasn't a blood relative." (405) Stressing that even though Caleb may have been so to speak lost all these years, he still carries the Peck family roots, leading Justine and Duncan to think that they too may have a place in what was left of their family. The Pecks, "perfect" family, although seemed to not have an impact on the few disconnected family members, actually proves to have a substantial effect. Justine and Duncan's unsettling lifestyle left them with the hopes of one day finding peace. Their similarities to Caleb gave them this hope they needed, but actually brought them back to the family they thought they didn't want relations with. The things that you may be running away from are sometimes the things that you so dearly need to hold to in hopes of finding yourself.
A friend gave me a Anne Tyler omnibus that included Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons and Searching for Caleb. Searching for Caleb, the last novel in the book, was my least favorite of the three. Tyler is a gifted writer with a clean style, writing with humor and insight, and features characters that are rounded, real and very strikingly individual, from minor secondary characters to the major ones, like Daniel, and his grandchildren, cousins married to each other, Duncan and Justine Peck. Daniel is an old-fashioned gentleman who last saw his brother Caleb sixty years ago in 1912. He periodically goes on trips with Justine searching for his brother, and you get the feeling the journey is more important than the goal for both. Daniel is the most appealing character in the book, despite his at times strict and stiff ways. Justine and Duncan, on the other hand, I didn't care for much--which may be why this book dragged for me. Justine "endures" and "adapts," and puts up with far too much from Duncan--and Duncan is hard to take. He's not abusive--he's just completely thoughtless, flaky, flighty and feckless. Growing bored just when it seems he might succeed at a new endeavor, he sabotages himself, then uproots his wife and daughter to a new town. At times I found I hated him with the heat of a thousand suns, and I found the entire cycle repeated in the book depressing. It seemed the farther I got into the book, the slower, tougher going I found each page. If this weren't a relatively short novel, I probably would have given up--but having gotten two-thirds through, I grimly pushed through. The last two pages made it--almost--worth it. But not quite. I can't say I recommend it to anyone but a diehard Tyler fan.
What do You think about Searching For Caleb (1996)?
I always enjoy Anne Tyler's writing. This is one of her earlier books (1976) and you can tell. Her characters are more stereotypical and the plot less complex and more predictable than her later books.However, i did enjoy her portrayal of the repressed Brahmin WASP Baltimore family who allowed no one out of the family and rarely allowed anyone in -- an occasional similar wife might be an exception. Her story focuses on the 3 rebels who do manage to leave the family because they cannot live with the constraints put upon them if they are to remain living/working within the family. Caleb is the brother of the current pater familias, Daniel, and Caleb left the family to pursue music (JAZZ!!) in 1912. Unknown to him, for many years Daniel and his grandaughter, Justine, have been following many leads to find him. Justine is another family rebel, although she was lured away by her first cousin, Duncan, a real rebel.Despite this being not quite as developed as her later novels, the story and characers carried me along and i enjoyed it.
—Ann
Una famiglia americana, i Peck di Baltimora, un clan alla Kennedy, legati dalle tradizioni che si trasmettono di generazione in generazione e soggetti alle convenzioni borghesi americane, una famiglia che sforna esemplari sempre uguali a sé stessi, che si ripetono di padre in figlio, sia nell’aspetto fisico che nelle abitudini di vita e nelle attività lavorative: i Peck sono avvocati da generazioni.All’interno di questa famiglia vi è uno strappo, uno dei suoi membri, Caleb, improvvisamente scompare: le vicende narrate nel libro si dipanano nell’affannata ricerca di Caleb Peck da parte di suo fratello Daniel, che per anni girerà l’America cercando le tracce labili che egli ha lasciato, al fine di ricondurlo nell’alveo familiare. Caleb è l’esempio, il prototipo del ribelle alle convenzioni sociali, fuggiasco; simile a lui è il nipote Duncan Peck, un uomo perennemente insoddisfatto che decide da quando compie i diciotto anni di abbandonare la famiglia, ma sposa sua cugina Justine Peck, fedele alla famiglia e alle sue tradizioni, trascinandola in una vita vagabonda. E’ Justine il membro della famiglia più dilaniato tra i due modi di vivere, tra un marito inquieto e anticonvenzionale e una famiglia che la attira nel suo alveo con la forza delle abitudini; al termine del libro Justine farà finalmente la sua scelta.Il limite del romanzo è costituto, a mio parere, dallo stile eccessivamente placido, a volte soporifero, con cui è scritto, che appiattisce la storia e i personaggi: si tratta di una caratteristica della scrittura di Anne Tyler, semplice e scorrevole, in questo caso portata all’eccesso.
—Sandra
This was not stellar Tyler. It is rare that I don’t like the main character. In this story, I thought Justine was weak. She should have left Duncan, her husband and her first cousin, years ago. He is a total loser and can’t stay with a job. When he does find something he is interested in, it is only a matter of time before he gets bored. The drinking and solitare starts up until he finds something to settle the restlessness. The whole family, including the aunts, the uncles and the cousins are dysfunctional. The title, “Searching for Caleb” literally is the search of Caleb, a long lost relative, by Daniel, Justines Grandfather. Caleb is his brother who left home when he was really young and no one heard from him again. Caleb and Meg, Justine’s daughter, are the only ones able to leave the family and the strong ties that bound them all together. This story was choppy and jumped around a lot. I struggled through this book and was happy to finish it.
—Kellie
