Previous
Chapter 7: The Cathedral
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Rainbow, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Search for Meaning
Love and Sexuality
Gender Roles
Religion and Spirituality
Industrialization and Modernity
Summary
Analysis
Will feels a powerful and troubling emotion toward Ursula, now a newborn, which comes from a part of him he barely knows exists. When Ursula cries, he feels an echo within himself, as if the sound resonates from a vast, dark place inside him. He paces back and forth with the infant in his arms, disturbed by her relentless crying. Sometimes, late at night, exhausted, he reaches out to silence her, but something about the impersonal, inhuman quality of her cries stops him. Over time, he learns to accept this feeling, realizing that it is tied to the mysterious, unknowable parts of his own being.
Will’s feelings toward Ursula as a newborn reveal his ambivalence about parenthood. Her cries seem to reach a part of Will that is primal and inhuman, forcing him to confront aspects of his own nature he barely understands. This emotional complexity portrays parenthood as both a tender and troubling experience, where love and discomfort coexist.
Themes
Gradually, Will becomes accustomed to Ursula and learns how to care for her. One evening, seeing the baby naked in Anna’s lap, he feels a wave of sickness at her utter helplessness in a world full of hard surfaces and dangers. Despite her vulnerability, he begins to find joy in caring for her. He waits eagerly for her to recognize him, and when she does, it feels like a victory.
As Will begins to adjust to caring for Ursula, his initial discomfort transforms into a growing sense of responsibility and pride. His realization that she is helpless in a world of dangers evokes a feeling of protectiveness. Ursula’s eventual recognition of him feels like a personal triumph for Will, solidifying his bond with her and allowing him to feel validated in his role as a father.
Themes
When Ursula is a little over a year old, a second baby, Gudrun, is born. This time, Anna is more relaxed and immersed in the bliss of nursing her newborn. This leaves Ursula to Will, and their bond grows even stronger. She becomes his special child, and he teaches her little games. They spend all of their time together, and he makes toys for her in his shop, creating a world where she feels safe and loved.
Will’s efforts to create a safe, imaginative world for Ursula show that he wants to shield her from the harsh realities of life, providing her with a space where she can feel protected. This growing connection between them suggests that Ursula has become his special child (much like Anna was for Tom), the one through whom he channels his creative and nurturing impulses.
Themes
At night, after the children are in bed, Anna and Will often sit together in silence. They rarely talk deeply, but there is a strong, unspoken bond between them that has built up with time. Will retreats into his wood-carving after tea, finding peace in restoring old things. He leaves the shed door ajar and sometimes Ursula sneaks out of bed to watch Will work by lamplight because she feels content just being near him.
Will and Anna’s quiet evenings reflect the evolution of their marriage into one of comfortable, if somewhat detached, companionship. Their bond no longer requires words, relying instead on shared routines and mutual understanding. Ursula’s quiet observation of her father as he works speaks to the admiration and comfort she finds in his presence.
Themes
Get the entire The Rainbow LitChart as a printable PDF.
Ursula loves going to the church with Will at night. If he is alone, he lets her come along, and she feels a thrill being in the vast, echoing space. Sometimes, when Anna comes to fetch her, Ursula resents the interruption, desiring instead to stay with her father. However, Will and Ursula’s bond is not without conflict. One day, after hearing complaints from a charwoman about Ursula’s behavior in the church, Will turns on her with unexpected anger, leaving her hurt and bewildered. She withdraws into herself, feeling the coldness of the outside world for the first time.
The church serves as a symbolic space where Ursula feels close to Will, providing a similar comfort for her as it once did for him. However, Will’s unexpected anger toward her after the charwoman’s complaints marks the first rupture in their relationship. This moment is pivotal in forming how Ursula will see church throughout the rest of the novel.
Themes
As Ursula grows older, she becomes more aware of Will’s moods. She feels warm and secure when he is home and lost when he is away. She follows him with a persistent love, even when his harshness causes her pain. She senses the distance between them but continues to seek his approval, holding onto the bond they share, even as it becomes more complex and strained.
Ursula’s unwavering love for Will’s approval shows the complexities of familial bonds, where affection persists even in the face of emotional pain. Ursula’s sensitivity to Will’s moods demonstrates her vulnerability and her struggle to navigate the growing emotional gap between them.
Themes
Will begins to spend more time away from home, traveling to Nottingham on Saturdays to watch football and visit the music halls, always on his own. He never drinks but watches everything around him with sharp, hard eyes, waiting for something he cannot quite name. One evening at a theatre, he sits next to two girls. The one beside him, Jennie, catches his attention; she is an average-looking girl whose features make her look vulnerable. Will considers starting an affair with her, feeling that his life at home has become barren, and he desires something different.
Will’s growing detachment from his family and his increasing visits to Nottingham indicate his dissatisfaction with his domestic life. His search for something beyond the routine of home life suggests a deeper restlessness, as he feels trapped in the familiar patterns of marriage and fatherhood. His encounter with Jennie represents an attempt to escape this sense of barrenness, and his attraction to her vulnerability speaks to his desire for control and dominance.
Themes
Will strikes up a conversation with Jennie, paying close attention to her reactions and feeling a sense of power as he speaks. She is flustered and responds awkwardly, but she stays engaged. When the performance ends, he follows Jennie and her friend outside. It is raining, and he suggests they get a drink. After some hesitation, the friend leaves, while Will and Jennie head to a tea shop. They talk, and he enjoys the feeling of dominance he experiences while they speak.
Will feels a sense of power over Jennie, reveling in her awkwardness. This dynamic, with Jennie being vulnerable and unsure while Will exploits her discomfort for his own pleasure, highlights the imbalance between them. The situation is deeply inappropriate, as Will disregards both Jennie’s feelings and his own marriage, treating his interaction with her as a game of manipulation rather than a genuine connection.
Themes
After their time at the tea shop, Will and Jennie go for a walk in the rain. Will puts his arm around Jennie, drawing her closer as they walk. They move into a darker part of the park and stop in a hidden corner. Will kisses Jennie gently at first, then more heavily, trying to overwhelm her. She resists, crying out in fear, but he continues, trying to coax her back into his embrace. There is a struggle between them—Jennie pulls away, but Will keeps drawing her back. She asks if he is married, and he admits that he is, but dismisses the significance of it. Eventually, Jennie breaks free of his grasp and runs away.
Will's behavior escalates in the park as he physically overpowers Jennie, despite her resistance. His attempt to overwhelm her with force and his dismissal of his marital status indicate a dangerous sense of entitlement and disregard for boundaries. Jennie's fear and eventual escape emphasize the severity of the situation. Will’s actions here are not just morally unacceptable but also a violation of trust, both towards Jennie and his wife.
Themes
After the incident with Jennie, Will returns home, arriving late. Anna waits up for him and notices a strange, detached look on his face. He casually lies about where he has been, and though she senses something is different, she doesn’t press him. She observes that he has come back a changed man, less connected to her and their life. Rather than try to rekindle a sense of emotional intimacy with Will, Anna focuses on the physical instead. The couple engages in a passionate love-making session, which results in Anna becoming pregnant yet again, this time with a boy. This physically intimate experience with Anna opens something new in Will, making him feel freed from his former life. His heightened inner world allows him to turn outward with new vigor. He becomes interested in public life and education, particularly in starting woodwork classes for village boys.
Upon returning home, Will’s detachment from Anna shows that the encounter with Jennie has not provided him with the emotional satisfaction he sought. Instead, he feels more distant from his life and marriage. Anna’s choice to engage physically rather than emotionally with Will reinforces the imbalance in their relationship. The pregnancy is a result of the physical intensity of their bond, but it also highlights how disconnected they remain emotionally. Will’s newfound interest in public life indicates a desire to turn outward and find meaning beyond the confines of his marriage, but it doesn’t address the deeper issues in his relationship with Anna.
Themes
