Ambition and Career

Where it surfaces

• Mr. Bickersdyke Walks Behind the Bowler's Arm

  Psmith's father's shifting plans for his son's future and Bickersdyke's commercial and political ambitions highlight career uncertainty.

• The New Era Begins

  Mike begins his banking career with a mix of gloom and excitement, facing the reality of a low salary and the end of his school cricket ambitions.

• Psmith Makes a Discovery

  Psmith's discovery of Bickersdyke's past speeches is a strategic move to protect his and Mike's positions at the bank, highlighting career maneuvering.

• The Spirit of Unrest

  Bickersdyke's political success and Mike's lack of interest in banking underscore different paths of ambition and the mismatch between personal goals and professional roles.

• At the Telephone

  Mike contemplates abandoning banking to become a professional cricketer, weighing his passion against societal expectations.

• At Lord's

  Mike faces a career crossroads, realizing he must become a professional cricketer to support himself after leaving the bank.

• XXVIII: Psmith Arranges His Future

  Psmith decides to leave banking for the Bar, showing his ambition to find a more suitable career.

• And Mike's

  Mike's cricket success and Psmith's plan to study law highlight their aspirations beyond the bank.

• XXX: The Last Sad Farewells

  Psmith declares his intention to pursue the Bar, while Mike looks forward to managing the Psmith estates, signaling a shift from banking to more fulfilling careers.