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In The Inheritance Games, the Hawthorne Foundation represents the unearned and undeserved power that the ultrawealthy have to change the world—for better or worse. Working-class teenager Avery Kylie Grambs has just unexpectedly inherited billions from eccentric philanthropist Tobias Hawthorne, as well as control of his philanthropic organization, the Hawthorne Foundation. Avery first learns about the Hawthorne Foundation when the principal of the new private school to which she has transferred mentions the Foundation’s longstanding support for the arts. Later, when Avery discovers that the Foundation gives away about $100 million a year to a wide variety of causes, she realizes, stunned, that she now has the financial power to make real structural change in the world. Tobias Hawthorne’s 19-year-old grandson Grayson Hawthorne, while explaining the Foundation’s giving model to Avery, tells her not to “be sorry” that she has unexpectedly gained control of the Foundation in place of Tobias’s family but rather to be “worthy” of the responsibility. Internally, Avery thinks that no one is “worthy of billions”—and, implicitly, that no one is worthy of the power to unilaterally change the world due to their wealth. Thus, the Hawthorne Foundation represents the fraught power that extreme wealth confers even when that power is used for good ends.
The Hawthorne Foundation Quotes in The Inheritance Games
The The Inheritance Games quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Hawthorne Foundation. 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:
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Chapters 21–30
Quotes
“You want the money.” Grayson Hawthorne looked down from on high. “How could you not, growing up the way you did?”
That was just dripping with condescension. “Like you don’t want the money?” I retorted. “Growing up the way you did?”
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Chapters 31–40
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Homelessness. Poverty. Domestic violence. Access to preventative care. What could I do with a hundred million dollars a year?
“You’re young enough,” Zara said, her voice almost wistful, “to believe that money solves all ills.”
Spoken like a person so rich she can’t imagine the weight of problems money can solve.
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Chapters 41–50
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“My grandfather believed that you have to see the world to change it […] He always said that I was the one with the eye.”
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Chapters 61–70
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“My grandfather should have left it to us all along.” Grayson turned his head, forcefully pulling his gaze from my skin. “Or to Zara. We were raised to make a difference, and you . . .”
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Get the entire The Inheritance Games LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Hawthorne Foundation Symbol Timeline in The Inheritance Games
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Hawthorne Foundation appears in The Inheritance Games. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapters 21–30
...office, the principal gives Avery advice on building her schedule and mentions that the Hawthorne Foundation donates a lot to fine arts. Then she asks about Avery’s passions. Avery, whose plans...
(full context)
Chapters 31–40
...the situation to Zara. Zara informs Avery that Avery has inherited control of the Hawthorne Foundation, which gives away about $100 million per year. When Avery asks where the money goes,...
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Chapters 41–50
Chapter 42. As Oren drives Avery to the Hawthorne Foundation after school, Avery obsesses over Emily, whom she remembers from the photo as green-eyed with...
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...individual,” only the global. He explains that he put off college to work for the Foundation, studying the best ways to donate. He was supposed to give a presentation on his...
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Avery, realizing how much time Grayson has invested in the Foundation, is about to apologize when Grayson tells her not to “be sorry” but “worthy.” Avery...
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Chapters 51–60
...goes on to explain that—as a matter separate from the will—the conservatorship of the Hawthorne Foundation will pass from Avery to the Hawthorne grandsons if Avery dies. Oren asks who’s aware...
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Chapters 61–70
When Avery points out that control of the Hawthorne Foundation passes to Grayson and his brothers if she dies, Grayson claims that Tobias should have...
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Chapters 71–80
Alisa, in the SUV with Avery, tells her that the Hawthorne Foundation purchased two tables at the charity event. When Avery realizes aloud that she’s going to...
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