Theo of Golden

The novel explores the concept that sadness is inextricably linked with joy and beauty. Levi suggests that by acknowledging and processing loss rather than denying it, people can achieve new levels of personal growth and authentic connection. Theo’s character most powerfully embodies this philosophy. His backstory reveals the devastating loss of his daughter Tita in an automobile accident, a tragedy that initially overwhelmed him. However, instead of permanently withdrawing from life, Theo experienced a transformative moment by the River Marne. While watching flocks of birds at sunset, he felt “a calmness, absolute and irresistible” (110) that began to heal his grief and offered him a viable path forward. In the narrative present, Theo carries this vital moment with him always, using it to inform his kind, compassionate approach to the people around him. Within this context, his daily sunset-watching ritual stands as a simultaneous commemoration of loss and an affirmation of enduring beauty.

This philosophy finds explicit articulation during a conversation between Theo and Asher about the portraits. Theo notes that in every face, he detects sadness that he likens to “a weariness or an unmet longing or a disappointment; something we inherit from those who lived before us” (223). When Asher questions whether this observation compliments his work, Theo calls it “a very high compliment indeed” (224) because he believes that everyone must directly face life’s disappointments and challenges. This exchange reveals Theo’s belief that confronting one’s sources of sadness can yield new wisdom and a greater sense of purpose in life.

Ellen’s own commentary upon this topic creates a deeper sense of the novel’s overarching philosophy, for when Theo asks about her happiest memory, she recounts the day that she gave birth to her daughter Willa. However, because this was also the day that she lost her daughter forever, the moment stands as both “the worst thing [she] ever had to live through” and “the happiest day of [her] life” (161). This paradoxical statement encapsulates the novel’s central insight that joy and sadness are often inextricably linked. 

Similarly, Tony’s war experiences demonstrate that inner growth often comes when people confront their deepest sources of sorrow and regret. After sharing his traumatic memory of killing a Vietnamese child whom he mistook for an attacker, Tony reflects on his enduring hope that he “still [has] a conscience and a heart” (198). His willingness to acknowledge his enduring pain and regret helps him to preserve his humanity and show kindness to those in his community, and his friendship with Theo helps him to process these experiences more fully. 

Even Kendrick’s narrative adds another dimension to this theme. Despite suffering wrongful imprisonment and struggling to help his daughter overcome her injury, he is willing to show compassion toward Mr. Mendez, the man responsible for the accident that injured Lamisha. His decision to advocate for mercy demonstrates that the best way to overcome bitterness at life’s misfortunes is to acknowledge that even those who caused the suffering are experiencing suffering of their own and are always in need of kindness.

the theme reaches its culmination in Theo’s final letter to Asher, when he writes, “As strange as it might sound, Asher, especially at this, my happiest season of life, I long for heaven” (386). This paradoxical statement suggests that Theo’s profound joy in Golden and his deepening relationship with his son exist alongside his awareness of life’s sorrows and limitations.

Throughout the novel, Levi presents a gentle, thoughtful vision in which joy and sadness are companions in a fully lived life. The novel ultimately argues that only by acknowledging their sorrows can people find redemptive value in the melding of sadness and joy.