The Futility of Ambition

Characters' schemes for wealth, social advancement, or artistic success often end in failure or absurdity, suggesting the vanity of human striving and the unpredictability of fate.

Gibbon's attempts to maintain a respectable life are futile against the overpowering influence of the dog Beelzebub, illustrating the hopelessness of resisting one's fate.

Judkin's fall from a life of adventure and glory to mundane domesticity illustrates the emptiness of past ambitions and the strange peace found in resignation.

The protagonist's attempt to reinvent himself by swapping identities leads to a chain of events that culminates in his execution for a crime he did not commit.

Clyde's pursuit of wilderness adventure and Vanessa's quest for respectability both lead to dissatisfaction and ultimately disaster.