The Inheritor questions Flashcards
What is the man’s dilemma?
The man’s dilemma was whether to save himself and avoid danger by climbing up the tree to safety or to risk his life to defend the ewe from being slaughtered by the dingo.
What influences him to defend the ewe against the dingo?
The man felt pity for the weak, helpless ewe. He felt that “if he should abandon the ewe and leap to safety he would diminish his own kind on the face of the earth”
What enables the man to defeat the dingo?
The sheep gives him an advantage by running into the man and dingo, giving him enough time to get the upper hand.
Explain the significance of the allusion to the golden fleece?
The dingo and the man are allegorical figures to Pelias and Jason, while the sheep alludes to the golden fleece. In both the Greek myth and the short story, the protagonist is faced with a tough decision, to either go on a challenging and dangerous quest to do what is right, or avoid the risks. Jason chooses to retrieve the golden fleece and eventually defeats Pelias, while the man chooses to defend the sheep and is also victorious.
Why did the men in the helicopter react as they did to the stranded man?
they saw “a bloodied, injured, and demented man who refused to be taken off unless he could bring a trussed sheep with him”(Roberts 161). What they did not see was what the man had to endure to save the ewe
Who was the inheritor at the end? What was being inherited?
In the end, the inheritor is the man. He has inherited compassion and morality after deciding to save the ewe.
