The Valley of Decision

"The Valley of Decision" by Edith Wharton is a story that takes place in the late 1700s and looks at what it means to be part of a social class, who people think they are, and the hardships people face when they aren't on top. It tells of Odo Valsecca, a boy who is technically nobility, but he comes from a lower social class, and while growing up, Odo thinks about where he belongs because his world has put him on the margins, even though he comes from a noble family. The story begins in a quiet and run-down chapel, which is the place where Odo can escape and think, and the boy can relate to both the saint in the chapel and his life and the farm he lives at named Pontesordo with his foster mother, Filomena. As the chapters progress, Odo learns of his father's death, which changes everything, and he is on a path to reconnect with his mother and the nobility he longs to be with. Odo comes to realize new things about being wealthy, being privileged, and his family background start to affect him.