Inheritance - Characters Reflecting Differences

“Because you’re from the city you think you know everything”. To what extent do the characters reflect the differences between country and city life?

“Because you’re from the city you think you know everything,” says Maureen to Felix in the play, Inheritance by Rannie Hanson. There is distinguishing characteristics in which reflect differences between country and city life throughout the play. The city is an urban settlement with a particularly important status, which differentiates it from the country. In the play, characters reflect the differences upon racism, and sexism. As well as a variety of differences between the facilities used in the country and city, beliefs, and spiritual values.

The country demonstrates racism whilst the city shows ethic inclusiveness. Racism is a belief that inherent differences among the various races. People in the country are hostile towards irregular cultures aside from their own. The country has certain expectations, and their old beliefs, hence exile single minority races, whereas the city is filled with difference races, thickly populated in numerous areas. Felix discuss with his mother that they live in the ghetto, and are open minded to difference backgrounds, however in the country �they hate blacks, they hate wogs… [and] they hate brown people’. People in the country follow their own culture, structure and rules, creating hostilities towards unaccepted activities and lifestyles, determined by race and sexuality.

By excluding differences, the country is bond by the same culture, and discriminates anything �out of the ordinary’. Sexual behaviour, activity and attraction between people of the same sex are not the norm in the country, and therefore, homosexuality is not accepted. In the city is constantly being introduced to new cultures, ideas, and beliefs, people living there are more aware and open minded about the different sexualities. However, Farley Hamilton, father of William, who is a homosexual, considers homosexuals as people �who can’t overcome their own weakness’. In the play, Inheritance, characters reflect the different views and attitudes to certain matters.

In the city, people have with a variety of different facilities, and services. Whereas, people have limited resources in the country. The facilities provided for those living in the city have performances made easier. In the country, work is doubled as certain facilities are not close by, and so some people have to drive long distances to get the service they want. In the play, Julia and her son Felix recognise they do not have to go far to get services,

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