The Burden of Inheritance

Perhaps Claude’s main antagonist throughout the novel is the inheritance he receives from his father, family, and way of life. As an individual, Claude has aspirations toward integrity, glory, and discovering something truly meaningful. As a son and citizen, however, Claude must fulfill certain duties entrusted to him, such as caring for his father’s farm, spending time with his family, and relinquishing his intellectual ambitions. Cather implies that this inheritance Claude receives is necessary to his character, for Claude views even his name as a burdensome inheritance. He believes Claude is a “chump,” name, further stating that he is “exactly the sort of looking boy he didn’t want to be” (10). Thus, even the most fundamental aspects of his character—his name and appearance—Claude views as a burdensome inheritance, which he must assume but would rather abandon.

This burden becomes...