The opening of a door : a novel

G. Davis

This novel was one of the first to deal with homosexuality in a serious and honest way in American literature. The novel tells the story of a large family in downtown Chicago in the 1920s. Young Edward is going to be the character with whom we are supposed to identify... or at least care about. Homosexuality is never mentioned or depicted outright, but there are many subtle hints that only a careful reader will pick up on. Near the end of the book it is quite obvious that Edward needs to break away from his current drab life and become the gay writer that nature impels him to be. An uncle, Lincoln, seems to have a dark secret that his wife knows about and we often get his drunken rages about marriage. It is possible that Lincoln is a closeted gay; hence the importance of the title. Edward needs the door to be opened so that he doesn't have to live in a closet.