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Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.
Our Town
In Tom Lake, the motif of the play Our Town parallels Lara’s reflections on her own life and the choices she makes. Our Town by Thornton Wilder is a play set in the small town of Grover's Corners, NH between the years 1901 and 1903. The play explores life in rural New Hampshire through the experiences of the Webb and Gibbs families. The play is a classic of American theater and is known for breaking the fourth wall and employing minimal, conceptual staging. Its story reflects on the passing of time and the importance of appreciating the small victories of everyday life. Lara plays Emily in three separate productions of Our Town, living through the play’s central message over and over again until it becomes a part of her own storytelling and self-understanding. In Wilder’s play, the character Emily’s realization that people do not fully appreciate life until it is too late mirrors Lara’s own sense of loss when she thinks about her past. Emily’s wistful, ghostly gazing back at her previous life reminds Lara of her relationship with Peter Duke and of how lucky she is to be with Joe. Just as Our Town warns of the dangers of living too much in memory and not focusing on the present, Lara tries to school her daughters and herself to appreciate what they have instead of longing for greener grass.
Addiction
Addiction shows up early and often in Tom Lake, particularly in the character of Peter Duke, with his dependence on fame and later descent into substance abuse. Duke's early career as a rising actor stokes his growing attachment to the spotlight. He craves novelty and attention, constantly seeking validation and affirmation from his partners and his audiences. Lara recalls repeatedly how this hunger for attention consumes him, shaping his behavior in private and in public. His addiction to public recognition becomes a form of escape, allowing him to avoid facing the deeper issues in his life. These issues include tragedies like the death of his four-year-old sister, who passed away from cancer years before the events of the book, and whom he never speaks about. Over time, his dependence shifts from fame and attention to alcohol, which ruins his career before causing his death. While Lara moves on from her time at Tom Lake to a stable life with Joe Nelson in Michigan, Duke remains trapped in a cycle of self-destruction. His inability to break free from his addictions prevents him from feeling fulfilled, no matter what he does or how much he has.
Two Possible Paths
The motif of fate compelling people to choose between two distinct paths forward recurs throughout Lara’s life and the lives of her family members. It’s linked to the theme of repeating cycles throughout the novel, as characters are repeatedly confronted with either/or choices that have no simple answer. Lara faces a painful choice in her youth between pursuing a glamorous, uncertain life as an actress with Peter Duke or opting for a more stable, quiet life with Joe Nelson on the cherry farm. She cannot do both, but because both choices are appealing in different ways there’s no perfect option. However, she ultimately chooses the path of simplicity and security, marrying Joe and building a life on the farm. This choice defines the trajectory of her life, but although she’s contented, she still thinks about what might have been had she stayed with Duke. Her daughters, especially Emily, also express curiosity about the roads they have not taken. For example, Emily has to choose between marrying her childhood sweetheart or pursuing other relationships. She’s also feeling pressure to choose between having children or remaining childless, when both seem like the only good option in her circumstances. Almost every character is faced, at some point, with having to turn away from one possible future in order to take up another.
