One of Ours

"One of Ours" by Willa Cather is a story set in the early 1900s about a young man named Claude Wheeler who lives on a farm in Nebraska; it explores Claude's journey as he struggles with his family’s expectations and his yearning for a more exciting life beyond the farm. At the start, Claude feels trapped and unfulfilled, particularly by his father's lack of understanding for his dreams as, for example, he wants to go to the circus but is forced to haul cowhides. Throughout the story, readers see Claude's interactions with his family, like his caring mother and distant brother, which highlight his dissatisfaction and longing for an identity beyond his current circumstances, setting the scene for a study of personal and social issues as Claude aims to find out who he is in the face of societal pressures.