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47 pages 1 hour read

Nick Hornby

A Long Way Down

Nick HornbyFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2005

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Symbols & Motifs

The Angel

Jess sets a plan in motion, which leads to the group publicly stating they saw an Angel that looked like Matt Damon. They agree because they can’t see a way out of it and also because they will get paid. Their participation in Jess’s lie is a sign of how little self-respect they each have, but also a hint that they may want to keep living. After all, if they were suddenly about to kill themselves, there would be no point in doing anything for money.

Because they profess that the angel told them not to kill themselves, and that they have more work to do on earth, each character is forced to think about why an angel might have said such a thing. They must face the question of whether their lives can be salvaged. When Jess reveals that the angel story was a lie and exposes them all, the angel gives everyone who read the story a reason to dismiss the four of them as crazy. This is one of the moments when their bond deepens and they realize that there is no one outside of their group who understands them as well as they understand each other.

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