Inertia is one of the themes that make The Leopard such an interesting novel. Yes, the main point of the story is the end of the Salina family and the Sicilian aristocracy in general. But the fact that Prince Fabrizio does nothing to stop this decline forces him (and us) to ask some deep questions. Has Fabrizio's internal engine run out of steam? Has he totally lost faith in the traditional values of his class? Has he just surrendered to history? The simple answer to all these questions is yes, but it's the questions themselves that keep a lot of readers coming back to this book.
Questions About Inertia
- What do you think is the main cause of Fabrizio's inertia in this book? Why?
- Is there any cure for the kind of inertia Fabrizio experiences in this book? If so, what is it?
- Do you believe that Fabrizio and the rest of the aristocracy deserve to be swept out of power by people who've worked hard for their money and their political influence? Why or why not?
- Will there be any less inertia and laziness in politics now that democracy has replaced aristocracy? Why or why not?
Chew on This
In The Leopard, we learn that inertia is the only thing a person can feel if they think hard enough about the reasons for doing anything.
In The Leopard, Lampedusa shows us that inertia is the number one sign that a certain type of social class is about to die.