Legacy

Legacy is a significant theme in "A God in Ruins," as the entire novel is Teddy wondering what his legacy would be had he survived the war. Near the conclusion of the novel, the author reveals that every experience past Teddy's last flight was a figment of his imagination. What Teddy imagined was his legacy, and he did not think highly of it.

Teddy's legacy rested on Viola, Bertie, and Sunny. They tell much of Teddy's story through their own stories. Teddy seemed to believe that his story was their story, as they were his living legacy. Teddy was fairly disappointed, however, because not only did have just one child and she was a girl, but that girl held a great deal of contempt for him and did not keep her last name after she got married. Thus, Teddy's lineage as connected to a surname ended...