Inheritance

Inheritance in the novel functions as both a resource and a constraint, shaping Tom’s identity and marking out the tensions between stasis and transformation that structure the novel. What Tom inherits from Pop and Patrick intersect in ways that define Tom’s journey toward artistic self-recognition. From Pop, Tom inherits his occupation as a shanker. This inheritance is practical and embodied: he learns the skills, acquires the tools, and inherits a way of life that enables him to support himself and Lillian. Pop’s knowledge is also protective, teaching Tom how to keep himself safe while working in dangerous conditions. However, Tom’s relationship to this inheritance is ambivalent. He recognises its value but feels hemmed in by it. Symbolically, his decision to continue working with a horse and cart, while other shankers modernise with motor rigs, underlines both loyalty to tradition as well as...