Sherrill Grace shows how Malcolm Lowry's theme of a cyclicalpattern of initiation, repeated ordeals with failure and retreat,followed by success and development, which in turn gave way to freshdefeat, influenced the structure, narrative style, and the symbolicpattern in his writing. The author also includes an appendix in whichshe examines the elements of Conrad Aiken's fiction and prose thathad a significant impact on Lowry's work.