Vance Character Analysis in Klara and the Sun

Vance is an old lover of Miss Helen’s who ends up holding an influential position at the college Atlas Brookings—the only school that considers accepting students (like Rick) who haven’t been “lifted.” Though Vance is impressed with Rick’s drawings of drones and seems to genuinely admire Rick, he is still hung up on the past and mostly uses their meeting as a chance to go over old grievances with Miss Helen and try to humiliate her. Vance is not Rick’s literal father (because he and Miss Helen had previously been out of contact for 27 years), but he embodies both the positive and the negative aspects of a father figure for Rick.

Vance Quotes in Klara and the Sun

The Klara and the Sun quotes below are all either spoken by Vance or refer to Vance. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

).

“Now Rick. You said just now you’re not seeking favoritism. Then let me ask you this. If that is really the case, then why am I sitting in front of you now?”

Related Characters: Vance (speaker), Klara, Rick, Miss Helen

Page Number and Citation: 246

Explanation and Analysis:

“And there was more. On this question of being lifted. She wants you to know she wouldn’t wish it any other way. If she had the power to do it again, and this time it was up to her, she says she’d do exactly what you did and you’ll always be the best mother she could have.”

Related Characters: Rick (speaker), Klara, Josie, The Mother, Miss Helen, Vance

Page Number and Citation: 277

Explanation and Analysis:

Vance Quotes in Klara and the Sun

The Klara and the Sun quotes below are all either spoken by Vance or refer to Vance. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

).

“Now Rick. You said just now you’re not seeking favoritism. Then let me ask you this. If that is really the case, then why am I sitting in front of you now?”

Related Characters: Vance (speaker), Klara, Rick, Miss Helen

Page Number and Citation: 246

Explanation and Analysis:

“And there was more. On this question of being lifted. She wants you to know she wouldn’t wish it any other way. If she had the power to do it again, and this time it was up to her, she says she’d do exactly what you did and you’ll always be the best mother she could have.”

Related Characters: Rick (speaker), Klara, Josie, The Mother, Miss Helen, Vance

Page Number and Citation: 277

Explanation and Analysis:

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Vance Character Analysis

Vance Quotes in Klara and the Sun

Vance Quotes in Klara and the Sun

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