The Light We Lost

Gabe’s photographs symbolize multiple things. First, they represent his dreams and the impact pursuing those dreams have on both Lucy and Gabe. Second, they represent the theme of Finding Light in Darkness. Finally, they represent the way in which Gabe sees the world, expressing his emotions in ways he cannot otherwise do.

From the beginning, Lucy sees that Gabe captures light in the darkest of moments. In Chapter 4, Lucy comments that his photographs are “beautiful, bizarre, bathed in light” (19). Gabe takes pictures of objects people see as ordinary and makes them extraordinary. As he progresses in his photography classes, he begins to document emotion in his photographs, seeking out darkness to bring it into the light. With his work for the Associated Press, Gabe takes pictures of people suffering from the collateral damage of war. He captures their pain and desperation alongside the beauty of the human condition. As photojournalist, Gabe is motivated by a desire to make a difference. However, by pursuing his dream, Gabe is forced to leave his own happiness behind, a choice that leads to the tragedy of his death. At the end of the novel, all that is left of Gabe is his work, a symbol of his incredible artistic gift and the dream that took him away from Lucy, stealing any chance of happiness they might have shared.

Not truly appreciated by Lucy, Gabe also documents on film his love for Lucy, calling her his muse and placing pictures of her in a showing of his work. Although these pictures cause turmoil for her, they clearly matter to Gabe in a way he cannot express otherwise. To Lucy, Gabe is a light that draws others toward himself. To Gabe, he is filled with darkness, and Lucy is the light that inspires him and gives him hope.