Beyond the Horizon

The eponymous horizon is a significant, recurring motif that informs the central theme of dreams and the choice to pursue or deny them. The light brimming over the rim of the horizon symbolizes both the promise and allure of dreams but also the difficulty in closing the distance between a future dream and the present situation. Rob, in particular, is drawn to the horizon—for him it represents the opportunity, freedom, and adventure that he craves after a sickly childhood spent confined indoors. At the start of the play, Rob describes how he feels drawn to the horizon and his “need of the freedom of great wide spaces, the joy of wandering on and on—in quest of the secret, which is hidden over there, beyond the horizon” (129). However, Rob stays on the farm and never moves any closer to discovering the secret that he imagines is waiting to be discovered beyond the hills. Each act of the play features an outdoors scene in which the horizon is in the background: a constant reminder of Rob’s failure to pursue his dreams.

The light that shines over the edge of the horizon also represents hope. At the start of the play, Andy, Ruth, and Rob are all full of hope for their futures, but the stage directions employ light