What is the Future of the Thornhill Land?

 


What is the future of the Thornhill land? That is the very question isn’t it. I have two trains of thought when pondering this question. On one hand, Thornhill and his family could make peace with the aboriginals, splitting the land in a way deemed fair. Maybe they create a cohesive environment where both peoples are supported. That would be the ideal situation. On the other hand, violence could ensue and people die. I have a feeling it is going to be a mix of both. I have an inkling that there is going to be a cohesive environment where everyone gets along, but then the former neighbors of the Thornhill’s will show up and prompt violence, causing chaos. The reasons I think this might be the case is that a) Sal acknowledges the aboriginals as people who should be killed without reason, and we know that Will respects Sal. B) The neighbors seem to get joy out of violent tales. However, the more I think about it, Will is obsessed with property and possessions. He might get obsessed with his land and do anything to protect what he thinks is his. We see his property mania in many places, so this is plausible. This would also likely lead to a rift between Will and Sal. Maybe she will even take the kids and go back to Britain early. I am almost scared to keep reading, because I know either way there will probably be violence.


Comments

  1. Isabella FernandezJanuary 17, 2022 at 1:17 PM

    This is a question that I have been asking myself too! I also think that the people that surround William will have an impact on whether the ending will include involve violence or a peaceful alliance. Smasher exhibits extreme brutality against the Natives whereas Blackwood really lives by his motto of 'give a little, take a little.' It seems as though William is trying to figure out what kind of a life he wants to have in his land and I honestly don't know how this book will end, but, I also am sure that there will be some violence.

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  2. John FredericksJanuary 17, 2022 at 1:41 PM

    Thank you for the two differing options here. Both of these are definitely plausible. I do think Smasher is a bad influence on Will. Hopefully the tension subsides and the two parties can find a peaceful solution.

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  3. Avery PiersonJanuary 17, 2022 at 3:23 PM

    This is definitely something I have been thinking about since finishing part 3. I think your point about Will's "property mania" is really interesting, and I can already see it starting to put a strain on his relationship with Sal. I could for sure see him resorting to violence in order to gain/keep his property.

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    Replies
    1. Michelle BJanuary 18, 2022 at 12:24 PM

      Yes, the phrase "property mania" is a good one.

      Delete
  4. Abby MatsonJanuary 17, 2022 at 8:31 PM

    While I would obviously like for there to be a non-violent conclusion, I don’t have a ton of hope for that, given my knowledge of native people’s history and the fact that we’re only halfway through the book. It would be cool if we at some point got the native perspective on the Thornhills claiming land, but I don’t necessarily see the novel going in that direction

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  5. Jenna ChinnJanuary 18, 2022 at 3:04 PM

    Like you said, I think that at this point it could go either way. While the Thornhills seem to be more peaceful and willing to cohabitate, they could easily give in to peer pressure and follow the sentiments of the rest of their neighbors or give in to Will's obsession with becoming gentry-like. I think that they're leaning towards your option B, but it's unclear whose side the Thornhills will be on.

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