Family and Individuality

Where it surfaces

• I

  The Wheeler family members have distinct personalities and interests, from Nat's sociability to Bayliss's prudishness and Claude's sensitivity.

• III

  Claude's frustration with Ralph's thoughtlessness and his protective bond with Mahailey illustrate his struggle for individuality within the family.

• IV

  Claude struggles against his family's expectations and his father's domineering humor, seeking autonomy in his education.

• V

  Claude cannot assert himself against his parents, who send him to a school he dislikes, and he feels his individuality is suppressed by family expectations.

• VI

  The Erlich family's open, expressive dynamic starkly contrasts with Claude's own reticent and guarded family, highlighting different models of family life.

• VII

  Claude's struggle to connect with his mother over new experiences versus her focus on church highlights the tension between family expectations and personal growth.

• XII

  Claude's personal aspirations for education are overridden by his father's business decisions, illustrating the tension between family duty and individual desire.

• XIII

  The Wheeler family's dynamics are strained as Ralph's individual ambitions for the Colorado ranch clash with Claude's quiet sacrifice and Mahailey's fierce loyalty to her own possessions and to Claude.

• XVI

  The Wheeler family Christmas dinner highlights the tensions between Bayliss's resentment and Claude's freedom, as well as the differing values and personalities within the family.

• Chapter XVII

  The family unit comes together during the storm, with Mrs. Wheeler's storytelling and Mahailey's care highlighting familial bonds and roles.

• Building the House

  Claude's desire to build a home separate from his family's farm reflects his struggle for individuality, while his parents' misgivings highlight family tensions.

• XII

  Claude's struggle with family expectations and his own identity is evident in his interactions with Ralph and his mother.

• IV

  Mrs. Wheeler's concern for Claude's happiness and his emotional distance from family underscore the tension between family bonds and personal discontent.

• VI

  Claude returns to his childhood home but struggles with his role there; Mrs. Wheeler and Mahailey try to care for him, yet he remains isolated; the family reacts collectively to the war crisis.

• VIII

  Claude's choice to enlist creates a rift between his personal desires and his family's expectations, especially his mother's silent grief.

• XI

  Claude's interactions with his mother, father, and Mahailey highlight his individual path versus family expectations.

• XIII

  Claude's departure highlights the tension between his individual path and his family's emotional bonds, especially with his mother.

• XIX

  Mrs. Wheeler and Mahailey's shared grief and memory of Claude highlight the enduring bond of family.