Memoirs of a Midget · Question
How does Memoirs of a Midget develop the theme of Class and Social Hierarchy?
Answer
Memoirs of a Midget by Walter de la Mare develops Class and Social Hierarchy across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The book contrasts the rural simplicity of Lyndsey with the aristocratic world of Mrs. Monnerie, examining snobbery, servitude, and the precariousness of status through characters like Mrs. Bowater, Fanny, and the titled guests.
The interactions at Beechwood highlight the rigid class distinctions and the performance of social roles within the household.
Mrs. Bowater's views on station, the narrator's secret scrutiny of people's gaits and clothes, and the mention of pew rents highlight social distinctions.
Lady Pollacke's visit and the narrator's discomfort at Brunswick House highlight class distinctions and the performance of social roles.
Evidence in the book
- Beechwood
The interactions at Beechwood highlight the rigid class distinctions and the performance of social roles within the household.
- IX
Mrs. Bowater's views on station, the narrator's secret scrutiny of people's gaits and clothes, and the mention of pew rents highlight social distinctions.
- XIX
Lady Pollacke's visit and the narrator's discomfort at Brunswick House highlight class distinctions and the performance of social roles.
- XXIII
Mrs. Bowater's insistence on determining whether the Stranger is a 'gentleman' highlights the rigid class distinctions of the era.
- XXIV
The interactions at Lady Pollacke's tea party, with Mrs. Monnerie as a dominant figure and the narrator as a subordinate, reflect social hierarchies.
- XXXII
Miss M. feels out of place in Mrs. Monnerie's opulent home, struggling with the formality and the disdain of servants like Fleming.
- XXXV
The narrator's return to the modest Beechwood home contrasts with the splendours of London, highlighting class distinctions and Fanny's ambitions.
- XXXVIII
Fanny's status as a landlady's daughter and the narrator's advocacy for her as a governess underscore class distinctions.
