Memoirs of a Midget · Theme
Class and Social Hierarchy
How Memoirs of a Midget develops Class and Social Hierarchy.
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.
Where it surfaces
- 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.
- XXXIX
The chapter explores social climbing, the role of trustees and patrons, and Fanny's pragmatic pursuit of ease and security within the upper-class household of Mrs. Monnerie.
- XL
The narrator's concern about Adam Waggett's behavior reflecting on her social standing, and her fall from 'Court Favourite' to 'Court Fool' at Mrs. Monnerie's.
- XLII
The narrator is acutely aware of her poverty and lack of social standing, contrasting her situation with the wealth and fashion of Mrs. Monnerie's friends.
- XLVIII
Fanny's determination to climb the social ladder and 'sneer down' on those above her reflects class tensions and ambition.
- XLIX
The discussion of the circus performer's exploitation and the narrator's moral stance reflect class distinctions and the commodification of human beings.
