The Inheritors · Theme
Futility of Resistance
How The Inheritors develops Futility of Resistance.
Characters who cling to the old ways, like the narrator and Churchill, are ultimately powerless against the tide of change. The narrative suggests that resistance is futile, and the 'inheritors' will inevitably triumph, leaving the old order to fade into a 'past of shadows.'
Where it surfaces
- The Inheritors
Despite rejecting the woman's offer, the narrator's struggle against the inevitable rise of the 'inheritors' suggests resistance may be futile.
- VII
Churchill's sense of impotence in politics and Jenkins' failed career evoke a sense of inevitable defeat.
- XV
The audience at Churchill's speech is described as struggling against an inexorable force dragging them forward, like a nation hauled over a glacier.
- Chapter XVIII
Despite his apparent triumph, the narrator realizes he has gained nothing and is haunted by the destruction he caused, suggesting resistance to the past is futile.