Contrasting Social Attitudes: The Farm as a Means of Status vs. a Burden of Legacy

  1. The Farm as a Status Symbol:
    For Mrs. Turpin, the farm is a status symbol—a reflection of her position in society and a means by which she can assert her dominance over others. Her farm is the manifestation of her belief that wealth and success are signs of divine approval. She takes pride in owning the land, believing that it legitimizes her self-righteousness and moral superiority. This view reflects a class-based perspective, where the farm represents the highest aspiration for people like Mrs. Turpin—material success and social power.

  2. The Farm as a Family Burden:
    On the other hand, Jack’s attitude reflects a more complicated and ambivalent view of the farm. For him, the farm is not about status but about carrying the weight of his family’s legacy. The land comes with emotional baggage, as it embodies the struggles and sacrifices of his parents. Rather than offering freedom, the farm represents a legacy of hardship and obligation. Jack’s view is rooted in responsibility and guilt, rather than a desire for wealth or social recognition. For him, the land is not a source of pride but rather a reminder of his familial obligations and unresolved tensions.

4. The Role of Family History and Legacy

  1. Mrs. Turpin’s Lack of Family Legacy:
    While Mrs. Turpin’s farm reflects her present wealth and social position, it does not carry with it a family history or legacy that weighs her down. Her attitude is shaped by the current moment, where she uses the farm as a tool to affirm her status in society. There is no burden of history or inheritance in her relationship with the land—she owns it outright, and her connection to it is defined by her belief in her own moral superiority.

  2. Jack’s Burden of Family Legacy:
    In contrast, Jack is deeply influenced by the legacy of his family’s farm. The land is not just a physical entity but a symbol of his ancestors' sacrifices and hardships. Jack is burdened by the emotional weight of the farm, knowing that his parents worked tirelessly to sustain it, despite the toll it took on their lives. His relationship with the land is marked by a sense of duty to his parents’ memory, making it a symbol of family legacy rather than personal achievement. Jack must reconcile his own desires with the unfulfilled dreams of his parents, reflecting a tension between individualism and family responsibility.

Conclusion

The attitudes of the main characters toward their farms in “Revelation” and “The Plague Children” reveal contrasting perspectives on identity, social class, and family legacy. Mrs. Turpin’s relationship with her farm is driven by a sense of entitlement, social superiority, and materialism, viewing the farm as a symbol of her moral worth. In contrast, Jack’s farm symbolizes obligation, burden, and legacy, with his ambivalence reflecting the weight of his family’s sacrifices. While both characters are deeply connected to their farms, the nature of that connection differs significantly, highlighting the social and emotional dimensions of land ownership in each story. Through these contrasting attitudes, both authors explore themes of class, responsibility, and personal identity, providing a rich commentary on how the farm, as a symbol of both material wealth and emotional legacy, shapes the lives of their characters.