The Coming of Bill · Theme
Wealth and Corruption
How The Coming of Bill develops Wealth and Corruption.
Inherited wealth is portrayed as a corrupting force that changes Ruth's character, creates a gulf between her and Kirk, and leads to a superficial, pleasure-seeking lifestyle, while the loss of money ultimately restores their happiness and values.
Where it surfaces
- IX: The White Hope Is Turned Down
John Bannister's cold, manipulative use of politeness as a weapon to maintain social distance and reject familial connection.
- XI: Stung to Action
Kirk's financial loss exposes the fragility of his inherited wealth and the corrupting ease of a life without work.
- I: Empty-Handed
Ruth's unexpected wealth contrasts with Kirk's failure, raising questions about the moral and emotional costs of money.
- II: An Unknown Path
Kirk fears that John Bannister's fortune is 'unlucky money' that may bring unhappiness, and he struggles with the moral implications of living on inherited wealth.
- IV: The Widening Gap
John Bannister's legacy is seen as a 'golden wedge' that drives Kirk and Ruth apart, corrupting their simple happiness.
- VII: Cutting the Tangled Knot
Bailey's financial speculation, driven by his wife's extravagance and his own newfound freedom, leads to risky behavior and moral compromise.
- Dolls with Souls
Bailey's financial speculation and eventual crash illustrate the corrupting and unstable nature of wealth, as well as its power to destroy lives.
- XVI: The White-Hope Link
John Bannister's money is depicted as a 'poisonous blight' that corrupted Kirk, Ruth, and William; its loss is celebrated as liberation.