The story begins with a description of the harsh and barren landscape of the outback, where the man is driving his truck with a load of sheep. He notices a dingo following him, and decides to shoot it with his rifle. However, he misses his shot and the dingo escapes. The man continues his journey, but soon encounters a flooded river that blocks his way. He decides to wait for the water to subside, and takes one of his sheep, an ewe, with him to the top of a nearby hill. He leaves the rest of his sheep in the truck, hoping that they will survive the flood.
On the hill, he finds the dingo waiting for him. The man realizes that he has no choice but to face the dingo in a fight for survival. He prepares his rifle, but discovers that it is wet and useless. He then resorts to using his knife, but the dingo is faster and stronger than him. The man is wounded and exhausted, and decides to give up and let the dingo kill him. However, at that moment, the ewe intervenes and attacks the dingo with her horns. The ewe manages to drive away the dingo, saving the man's life.
The man is surprised and grateful for the ewe's help. He feels a bond with her, and decides to take care of her until they can escape from the hill. He shares his food and water with her, and tries to keep her warm at night. He even gives her a name: Mary. He thinks that she is his only friend in this hostile environment.
However, after a few days, the man notices that the water level has dropped, and that his truck is still intact. He decides to leave the hill and resume his journey. He takes Mary with him, thinking that he will reward her for saving his life. However, as he approaches his truck, he sees that all his other sheep are dead. He realizes that he has lost everything, and feels angry and bitter. He blames Mary for leading him to the hill, and for causing him to lose his sheep. He thinks that she betrayed him, and that she was only using him for her own survival.
He then decides to kill Mary with his knife. He grabs her by the neck, but she resists and struggles. She looks at him with fear and confusion in her eyes. The man hesitates for a moment, feeling a pang of guilt and remorse. However, he quickly hardens his heart, and slits her throat. He throws her body into the river, and drives away in his truck.
The story ends with a twist: as the man drives away, he sees the dingo on the other side of the river. The dingo is holding Mary's lamb in its mouth, which it had rescued from the flood. The dingo looks at the man with contempt and pity, as if saying: "You are not worthy of being called an inheritor of this land."
Analysis
The Inheritor is a powerful and tragic story that shows how human nature can be corrupted by greed and selfishness. The story contrasts the behavior of the man and the animals, showing how the man is more savage and cruel than the dingo or the ewe. The story also challenges the notion of human superiority over nature, showing how the man is helpless and ignorant in facing the forces of nature.
The story uses symbolism and irony to convey its message. The title of the story refers to both the man and the dingo, who are competing for being the inheritors of the land. However, while the man claims to be an inheritor by virtue of being human, he proves to be unworthy of this title by his actions. He kills an innocent animal that saved his life, while ignoring his own responsibility for causing his loss. He also fails to appreciate the beauty and value of the land, seeing it only as a source of profit. On the other hand, the dingo proves to be a true inheritor by being loyal, brave, and compassionate. He saves a lamb that is not his own, while respecting the land and its creatures. He also shows more intelligence and wisdom than the man, by knowing when to fight and when to flee.
The story also uses irony to show how the man's fate is determined by his own choices. The man thinks that he is in control of his destiny, but he is actually a victim of his own folly. He misses his shot at the dingo, which leads him to the hill. He trusts the ewe, which leads him to lose his sheep. He kills the ewe, which leads him to lose his soul. He drives away, which leads him to face the dingo's judgment. The story shows how the man's actions have consequences, and how he cannot escape from them.
Conclusion
The Inheritor is a remarkable story that explores the themes of survival, conflict, and betrayal in the context of the Australian outback. The story shows how human nature can be corrupted by greed and selfishness, and how human superiority over nature can be challenged by the behavior of animals. The story uses symbolism and irony to convey its message, and to show how the man's fate is determined by his own choices. The story is a compelling and thought-provoking read that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.
References:
[1]: The Inheritor by Frank Roberts AustLit: Discover Australian Stories
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