A Hazard of New Fortunes · Question
How does A Hazard of New Fortunes develop the theme of Social Class and Mobility?
Answer
A Hazard of New Fortunes by William Dean Howells develops Social Class and Mobility across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The book explores the tensions and conflicts between different social classes in Gilded Age New York, particularly through the Dryfoos family's rise from farming to wealth and the Marches' precarious middle-class status, highlighting the moral and psychological costs of economic ambition.
The Marches' encounter with the janitor who doubts their ability to pay high rent underscores the class anxieties and social judgments inherent in urban life.
The Marches observe the hopeless poverty of tenement dwellers and reflect on their own middle-class aspirations and housing choices.
The search for an apartment and the encounter with Mrs. Grosvenor Green's flat underscore class distinctions and the challenges of urban living.
Evidence in the book
- VIII
The Marches' encounter with the janitor who doubts their ability to pay high rent underscores the class anxieties and social judgments inherent in urban life.
- IX
The Marches observe the hopeless poverty of tenement dwellers and reflect on their own middle-class aspirations and housing choices.
- Chapter X
The search for an apartment and the encounter with Mrs. Grosvenor Green's flat underscore class distinctions and the challenges of urban living.
- XI
Dryfoos's transition from farmer to wealthy speculator and his move to New York to gain social standing for his daughters illustrates the pursuit of upward mobility and the tensions it creates.
- II
The Woodburns' poverty and the Leightons' financial concerns highlight the precariousness of social standing.
- VIII
The Marches observe the Dryfoos family's attempt to navigate New York high society, with their wealth evident but their social graces lacking, highlighting the challenges of class mobility.
- IX
The Dryfoos family's raw manners and Fulkerson's efforts to polish them through Mrs. Mandel highlight the challenges of social climbing.
- XII
Lindau's deliberate move to a poor tenement highlights the chasm between social classes and his rejection of upward mobility.
