Social Class and Status

The book repeatedly examines the hierarchies of society, from the faded gentry clinging to past importance to the nouveau riche and the struggles of the poor, often highlighting the absurdity and cruelty of class distinctions.

The dialogue mocks the pretensions of lower-class women who try to elevate their social standing through misused intellectual references.

The contrast between Judkin's former elite status (crack cavalry, Viceroy's Cup) and his current lowly existence (cheap villa, gardener's boy clothes) highlights the fragility of social standing.

Vanessa's obsession with respectability and proximity to the Park (Hyde Park) highlights class anxieties and the desire for social standing.

Adrian's rise from Bethnal Green to dining at the Ritz and being taken abroad by a wealthy aunt highlights the fluidity and absurdity of class boundaries.