Trending Pierre Makombo Bamboté: Central Africa’s Literary Follow Us      

Oloyede.com.ng  


Home Susanne Bellefeuille FULL ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL

“PATH OF LUCAS; THE JOURNEY HE ENDURED” BY SUSANNE
BELLEFUILLE
Search for an Article,
Author, or Book
FULL ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL
Search this blog Search
“PATH OF LUCAS; THE
JOURNEY HE ENDURED” BY
SUSANNE BELLEFUILLE

Study Break
 Wednesday, March 05, 2025  16 minute read 0  

4/sidebar/Study Break
(toc) #title= (Table of Content)

FULL ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL Get in Touch

“PATH OF LUCAS; THE JOURNEY HE
 Telegram
 Facebook
ENDURED” BY SUSANNE
BELLEFUILLE  Whatsapp
 Youtube

EZENECHE CHIDIOGO MARY  Instagram

 Twitter
(ENGLISH AND LITERATURE
TEACHER)
EMAIL: [email protected] Popular This Week
[email protected]

Contact Us on WhatsApp
 Elma Shaw

Complete Analysis of the

Novel Redemption Road by
Elma Shaw
Ask Us a Question
 Tuesday, August 13, 2024
 African Poetry

Complete Analysis of
New Tongue by…
 Sunday, August 25, 2024

Susanne Bellefeuille

FULL ANALYSIS OF
THE NOVEL “PATH …
Wednesday, March 05,

2025

African Poetry

Complete Analysis of
Hearty Garlands by…
 Sunday, August 25, 2024

Eng 281 African Novel

Complete Analysis of
BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHOR
So The Path Does No…
Susanne Bellefuille is a Canadian  Tuesday, August 13, 2024

novelist and a graduate of Social Works Non African Prose

from St. Lawrence College in Cornwall.
Themes and Literary
Susanne was a school dropout and had Devices of Path of…
become a mother at the early age of Wednesday, August 14,

seventeen. Path Of Lucas is her first 2024

novel which was first published in Harper Lee

2017. Susanne is interested in assisting
Complete Analysis of
people with intellectual disabilities. To Kill a Mockingbird…
Her story serves as a source of  Tuesday, August 13, 2024
inspiration to everyone struggling with
depression and different mental African Poetry

ailments. Themes and General

Analysis of Once Up…
 Sunday, August 25, 2024

BACKGROUND OF THE NOVEL

Syl Cheney-Coker

The story is a fictional representation Complete Analysis of

of her father’s journey. Her mom had The Breast of the Se…
Thursday, August 29,
also suffered a psychotic depression 
2024
and was hospitalized for almost a year.
It is an autobiographical novel which Wole Soyinka

showed the sacrifices her father made Themes and Literary

during her mum’s struggle with Devices of Night by…

depression. Susanne having dropped  Tuesday, April 30, 2024

out of school at 17, she decided to go
back so as to be a good example to her
children and grandchildren. The novel
draws attention to the importance of
mental health in our present world and
society.
Canada’s colonial history and the
aftermath is also referred to in the
story through the character of Lucas
and Isabelle. Lucas speaks English
while Isabelle speaks French. We can
say that their marriage was a coming
together of two cultures. The story is
both traumatic and tragic. Isabelle and
her sister France had a traumatic
childhood due to the abuse they went
through at the hands of their parents,
this abuse haunted them throughout
their lifetime. The novel also captures
the “baby boomers” phenomenon of
the 1940 and 1950’s generation.
SETTING OF THE NOVEL

The novel is set in the small town of

Alexandria in Ontario, Canada (20th
century). The story spans between
1956-1993 when Isabelle dies. Other
setting in the novel includes: Uxbridge,
where Lucas moved to be a mechanic,
Cold Lake Alberta where Steve died,
Kingston Ontario where Lucy worked
and lived, etc.

PLOT/SUMMARY

The story begins in the present (it has a

non-chronological plot structure). Lucy
had a car accident on her way to see
Lucas her father. The story also begins
from the end when Lucas visits his
daughter at the hospital (she was in
coma). Lucas decides to tell Lucy his
story in the third person narrative (as
though the story happened to someone
else), he hopes that his story will help
bring Lucy out of coma.
The story of Lucas goes back to 1956
when he is a dashing and handsome
young boy of 17. Lucas lived with his
parents John Clarkson and Elizabeth
Clarkson in Alexandria alongside his
siblings James and Mary. Lucas has a
car he named Studebaker and he also
assists his father in the farm, even
though that wasn’t his dream. Lucas
meets Isabelle and her sister France on
his way to run an errand with his
father and he is captivated by Isabell’s
beauty, he drops them off at their home
but he could not get his mind off
Isabelle. Lucas has a childhood friend
named Steve who is an Airforce
personnel. Lucas and Isabelle go out on
a few dates and they start a
relationship even though Isabelle
Bourgeois has difficulty speaking
English at first. Their relationship is
affected by Isabelle’s poor family
background and childhood abuse and
trauma. Isabelle has to work for Mr.
Thomas in other to cater for her family.
Mr. Thomas sells his land and John
Clarkson is the one who buys it, Lucas
concludes the land deal for his father
and this was how he found out that
Isabelle works for Mr. Thomas. They
both rekindle their relationship after
this.
Isabelle gets pregnant after her
engagement to Lucas and they had a
church wedding. Isabelle gave birth to
five children in quick succession;
Richard, Johnny, Steve, Lucy and
Thomas. Lucas has always wanted to
be a mechanic so he moves to Uxbridge
to work with Jim an A Class Mechanic,
who also offers to pay for Lucas’s
schooling to get his mechanic license.
Lucas’s dream is cut short by his father
as he had to move back to home to help
his father with the farm (John’s health
was deteriorating). As Lucas moves
back to Alexandria to help his father,
he faces a whole lot of tragedies; he
loses Steve his childhood friend to a
plane crash, his father has to be on
oxygen, his first son suffers from
meningitis, Isabelle’s sister France dies
of type 2 diabetes, Isabelle gets obese
from bad food choices (caused by
unresolved childhood trauma).
Lucas gets a job in a cable company
and later on, he is posted to far away
Kemptville. While he is away, Isabelle
falls into unconsciousness and is
diagnosed of psychotic depression. It
took almost a year and Lucas’s
commitment and love to get Isabelle
well again, she gets her memory back
and goes back to her normal life but
she still had to take her meds regularly.
Lucy, Lucas’s daughter gets pregnant at
16, Chelsea who is Richard’s girlfriend
is also pregnant. Trouble continues for
the family when Richard is with cancer
of the throat and had to undergo a
surgery. John Clarkson passes away
shortly after Richards’s surgery. The
tragedy wasn’t over as Richard
becomes ill shortly after and dies of
cancer of the nymph nodes, Isabelle
goes into depression again, Elizabeth,
Lucas’s mother is diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s disease and dies later one.
Lucas loses Isabelle to a heart attack on
the June 10, 1993.
Lucas finishes narrating his story and
by then Lucy had come out of coma
and her children and husband Mark
were all around. Lucas excuses himself
to call Lucy’s siblings to tell them of her
recovery, and on his way back to Lucy’s
room, he dies of a heart attack just
outside her door. Lucy was strong
enough to read the eulogy at her
father’s funeral.
N/B: When Richard dies. Lucas saw a
monarch butterfly at his funeral.
When Isabelle died, Lucas saw a rose
breasted grosbeak at the window of the
hospital
When Lucas died, Lucy saw two rose-
breasted grosbeaks singing on the
ledge and a gorgeous monarch
butterfly flapping its wings above the
two birds.

Also Read

 FULL ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL “PATH OF

LUCAS; THE JOURNEY HE ENDURED” BY

SUSANNE BELLEFUILLE

 Themes and Literary Devices of Path of

Lucas: The Journey He Endured by Susanne

Bellefeuille

MAJOR INCIDENTS IN THE NOVEL

1. 1.
Lucy’s accident on her way to see he
2. 2.
 Lucas is with Lucy at the hospital de
3. 3.
Lucas meets France and Isabelle her
4. 4.
Lucas’s childhood friend Steve come
5. 5.
Steve beats up Kris the town’s bully
6. 6.
Lucas receives a telegram from Stev
7. 7.
Isabelle agrees to have dinner with
8. 8.
Lucas and Isabelle go out for a date
9. 9.
Lucas takes Isabelle to go see John W
10. 10.
John Clarkson buys land from Mr. T
11. 11.
Isabelle tells Lucas about how her d
12. 12.
Lucas engages Isabelle on her 18th b
13. 13.
Julia takes Isabelle to the hospital a
14. 14.
She tells Lucas about the pregnancy
15. 15.
They both announce the pregnancy
16. 16.
Isabelle gives birth to her first child
17. 17.
She gives birth to another son Johh
18. 18.
They rent their own apartment and
19. 19.
Lucas got hired as a mechanic (his
20. 20.
 Isabelle gives birth to her daughter
21. 21.
Lucas takes Jim’s job offer and mov
22. 22.
Isabelle gets pregnant for the 5th tim
23. 23.
Isabelle gives birth to her fourth so
24. 24.
Lucas moves back to Alexandria to
25. 25.
Isabelle loses her father and her ch
26. 26.
Steve pays Lucas a surprise visit an
27. 27.
Lucas is called about Steve’s death (
28. 28.
Lucas’s sister Mary loses her child D
29. 29.
Richard, Lucas’s first son gets very
30. 30.
Lucas and Ron, his friend get a job
31. 31.
France gets obese and is diagnosed
32. 32.
Isabelle collapses and is diagnosed
33. 33.
Isabelle, with Lucas’s care and com
34. 34.
Lucy, Lucas’s daughter gets pregnan
35. 35.
Chelsea, Richard’s girlfriend also re
36. 36.
Chelsea gives birth to a girl, Paige.
37. 37.
Richard undergoes surgery to have
38. 38.
 John Clarkson, Lucas’s father dies.
39. 39.
Lucy gives birth to a boy, Daniel. Lu
40. 40.
Richard dies and Lucy reads the eu
41. 41.
Chelsea takes Paige away from Isab
42. 42.
Lucy gives birth to another boy, Rya
43. 43.
Elizabeth Clarkson (Lucas’s mother
44. 44.
Isabelle takes her life back and lose
45. 45.
Isabelle develops a heart attack wh
46. 46.
Lucas dies of a heart attack just out

CHARACTERS/CHARACTERIZATION

Lucas Clarkson: The main character of

the story. He takes us through his life
journey and all the sacrifices he had to
make for the love he had for his family.
He had to give up his dream of
becoming a mechanic just to help his
sick father with the farm. When
Isabelle got sick, he gave up his job at
the Cable Company just to be by her
side and nurse her back to health for
almost a year (he lost all his savings
because of this). Oh, poor Lucas! He
was a devoted father and husband, he
loved and cherished Isabelle and their
children. Despite all the tragedies he
passed during the course of his life, he
never stopped supporting Isabelle and
his children (his parents inclusive).
Lucas’s character is an inspiration and
one worthy of emulation. He is a hero
and by extension, my hero.
Isabelle Bourgeois; Beautiful Isabelle!
She had to go through so much
childhood abuse and trauma at the
hands of her parents, and this affected
her throughout her life time. She was
always available to support her
husband’s every decision. She was a
devoted wife and mother. After the
death of her elder sister France, her
childhood trauma came to haunt her
and this led to her psychotic depression
which she suffered for almost a year.
She also had to battle obesity at some
points in her life which was caused by
bad eating choices (triggered by
trauma).
France Bourgeois: Isabelle’s elder
sister. It was she who helped Isabelle
learn some English words so she would
be able to communicate with Lucas on
their first date together. She later
moved out of Alexandria and got
married to a farmer, she was also
present at Isabelle’s wedding. She got
obese and died later on of type two
diabetes.
Steve Lewis; Lucas’s childhood friend
who joined the Airforce. He always
wanted to be a pilot and this he
achieved; he was a great inspiration to
Lucas. Steve purchased a plane but
tragically died of a plane crash. He had
instructed that incase anything were to
happen to him; Lucas should take of all
the funeral arrangements (this goes to
show how close they both were).
John Clarkson/ Elizabeth Clarkson;
Lucas’s parents. They always doted on
him and supported his decisions. They
also loved Isabelle. It was John who
pleaded with Lucas to move back to
Alexandria and help out with the farm
as his health was deteriorating. He had
difficulty breathing and always used an
oxygen tank, he died later on.
Elizabeth was a wonderful wife and
mother. It was she who cared for
Lucas’s children when Isabelle was at
the hospital. As she got older, she
developed Alzheimer’s disease and
died.

Other characters in the novel

includes the following;

Lucy Ferguson; Lucas’s daughter. It

was she whom Lucas told his life story
when she was in coma at the hospital
Wendy; Lucy’s secretary
Mark; Lucy’s husband
James; Lucas’s brother
Debra; James’s wife
Ryan, Danny, Dwanye, Johnny; Lucy’s
children
Emily; Danny’s wife
Paul, Scott, Donna; James’s children.
Mary; Lucas’s sister
Joe; Mary’s husband
Sandra, Brenda, Jeffery, Darcy, Janet;
Mary’s children
William; Lucas’s late brother
Richard, Steve, Lucy, Thomas,
Johnny; Lucas’s children
Chelsea; Richard’s girlfriend
Angie; Johnny’s girlfriend
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis; Steve’s parents
Mr. and Mrs. Bourgeois; Isabelle’s
parents
Kris; The mayor’s son and a bully.
Mr. Douglass; John Clarkson’s lawyer
Jean; France’s husband
Ron; Lucas’s friend
Janet; Ron’s wife

THEMES IN THE NOVEL

Child abuse and trauma; Isabelle and

her sister France suffered from child
abuse and trauma inflicted by their
parents. This goes on to affect them
later in life especially Isabelle. After the
death of France. Isabelle falls into
depression and also makes bad food
choices which leads to obesity. The
novel takes us through the danger and
effect of child abuse and trauma and its
effects.
Love and Devotion; this is a story of
love and devotion which is seen in the
character of Lucas and also other
characters. Lucas undying love for
Isabelle is shown in his tolerance to
wait for Isabelle to take care of her
siblings before they can get married.
Lucas shows love for his family when
he gives up his dreams to become a
mechanic so as to help his sick father
on the farm.
Lucas also shows devotion towards his
parents, wife and children. When
Isabelle was battling psychotic
depression, he was with her every step
of the way. He even had to abandon his
job and used up his life savings. John
who is Lucas’s father had to drive
Elizabeth his wife to the hospital
despite his ill health at the time.
Family and Sacrifice; Lucas’s life
revolved round doing what was best
for his family. Lucas was deeply
committed to the well being of his
family, he is very selfless, always
putting the needs of his family first. He
had to give up his dream of becoming
an A Class mechanic in Uxbridge just to
help out his sick father on the farm.
This selflessness is a recurring element
which demonstrates the true love can
often come from the sacrifices made
for those we love.
Mental Illness and Depression; This is
seen in the case of Isabelle. Isabelle
who was abused as a child had the
memories of this trauma haunt her
later in life. This led her to obesity and
depression and finally psychotic
depression. It took the care and
devotion of Lucas to get her out of that
state.
Tragedies of Man; This novel goes to
show the life tragedies humans have to
pass through at some stages in their
life. Lucas had his own fair share of
tragedies: beginning from his father’s
sickness, Richard’s meningitis, Steve’s
death, Isabelle’s sickness, Richard’s
death, John and Elizabeth’s death. Also
inclusive, Lucy’s accident and coma.
Death and Mortality; Lucas lost many
of his family members to the cold
hands of death, his son Richard and his
wife Isabelle inclusive. Mortality is
very poignant as regards Lucy’s coma.
Her coma acts as a reminder to the
readers that there is a very thin line
between life and death. This reminds
us that life is unpredictable and it is
very important to cherish every
moment.

Other themes in the novel includes:

childbirth, obesity, family vicious
cycles, determination, etc.

LITERARY TECHNIQUES/DEVICES
USED IN THE NOVEL

Diction; The novel is written in

American/Canadian English. The
author also uses some French words
and expressions to show the linguistic
realities of Canada. Examples: spelling
of words like “Labor” (pg. 167),
“Program” (pg. 156), “Behavior” (pg.
305) etc. Some French expressions
which were spoken by Isabelle during
her courtship with Lucas. Examples:
Oui which means “yes” (pg. 32), Merci
which means “thank you” (pg. 41),
Oui….je veux aller avec toi which
means “yes…I will go with you” (pg.
56).
Point of View; the novel is written
using the third person narrative (as
though the story happened to someone
else). The omniscient narrator takes
over narration from Lucas, thereby
telling Lucas’s story. It is important to
note that chapter one if the novel was
told using the first-person narrative.
The story is also told using present
tense.
Motif; It is a symbolic image or
pattern/idea that appears frequently in
a story. It is an element that reoccurs
through out a work of literature. In the
novel, the hospital is used as a motif.
We notice that throughout the story,
Lucas made many frequents visit to the
hospital, it is also ironic that Lucas also
dies in a hospital just out his daughter’s
hospital door.
Flashback; The entire story is a
flashback. Flashback is the primary
device used to tell Lucas’s past and
story, much of the story is revealed
through flashback as Lucas recounts
his life experiences to his daughter.
Symbolism; This device is used in the
story to show or represent
wider/broader themes. Lucy’s coma is
symbolic, it symbolizes the life’s
fragility and the uncertainty it brings
with it. Lucas’s journey is also symbolic
as it shows the struggles and resilience
any human needs to survive in life.
Foreshadowing; It is used to give hints
of what might happen in a literary
work. In the narration of the story,
some future events are hinted at. For
example: Lucas’s sacrifices at the
beginning of the story foreshadow the
difficult decisions or sacrifices he had
to take later in life/story.
Imagery; The author Susanne made
use of some vivid imagery to bring the
settings and emotions of the story to
life. The way the rural environment
where Lucas grew up is described is
very detailed, it gives the readers room
to visualize the physical landscapes
that shape and were path of Lucas’s
life.
Themes as a Literary Device;
Throughout the story, we see recurring
themes of love, family, sacrifice which
are used as a literary device. It goes
very deep throughout the narration of
the story until the very end.
Tone; The tone used in the novel is
hopeful and also reflective. Reflective
in the sense that as Lucas tells his story
at the hospital, he reflects back on his
life experiences and life choices he
made. The tone is hopeful in the sense
that Lucas hopes that with the story he
tells Lucy, even though she is
unconscious is going to hell revive her.
This creates an emotional journey and
turmoil that mirror Lucas’s
journey/story.

Other literary devices in the story

includes; irony, euphemism, dialogue,
humor, historical allusion, metaphor,
etc.

Tags: Susanne Bellefeuille

  Faceboo
k
 Twitte
r
 Whatsap
p

 OLDER NEWER

You Might Like Show more



Susanne Bellefeuille

20/related/default

Hot Posts Search for a Post Editor's Pick

10/footer/recent Complete Analysis of the

Search this blog Search
Novel Redemption Road by
Elma Shaw

Complete Analysis of New

Tongue by Elizabeth Kamara

Complete Analysis of Hearty

Garlands by S.O.H. Afriyie–
Vidza

FULL ANALYSIS OF THE

NOVEL “PATH OF LUCAS;
THE JOURNEY HE
ENDURED” BY SUSANNE
BELLEFUILLE

Themes and Literary Devices

of Path of Lucas: The
Journey He Endured by
Susanne Bellefeuille

Poem and Analysis of The

Stone by Wilfrid Wilson
Gibson

Themes and General

Analysis of Once Upon a
Time by Gabriel Okara
 Themes and Literary Devices
of Night by Wole Soyinka

Complete Analysis of So The

Path Does Not Die: African
Prose by Pede Hollist

Complete Analysis of The

Breast of the Sea by Syl
Cheney-Coker

Made with Love by

A world of knowledge and opportunities! Find

well-researched resources on literature, religion,
science, and social science. Explore scholarship     
details, employment opportunities, and
relocation tips—all in one place. Welcome to a
platform where learning meets practicality!

Oloyede.com.ng; Home About Contact us Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Services