How does Cakes and Ale develop the theme of Freedom vs. Convention?

Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham develops Freedom vs. Convention across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.

Rosie embodies a natural, unapologetic freedom—sexually, socially, and emotionally—that defies the conventions of her time, while characters like the narrator and Roy are constrained by respectability, class expectations, and the need for social approval.

The narrator's willingness to defy his uncle's authority to pursue his own interests reflects the tension between youthful freedom and societal expectations.

The narrator's secret visits to the Driffields' house represent a break from the conventional expectations of his uncle and the vicarage.