The Little Nugget · Theme
Class and Snobbery
How The Little Nugget develops Class and Snobbery.
The book satirizes the British class system through characters like Mr. Abney, who fawns over aristocratic pupils, and Mrs. Drassilis, whose social climbing and greed drive much of the conflict.
Where it surfaces
- I
Mrs. Drassilis's concern over Cynthia's marriage prospects and her disapproval of Peter reflect class-based anxieties and snobbery.
- III
Mr. Abney's deference to the Duke of Devizes and his emphasis on molding 'hereditary legislators' highlight the class-consciousness of the setting.
- V
Peter's former wealth and complacency are contrasted with his current working life, and Audrey's fall from a comfortable marriage to dependence on work.
- VII
Audrey's varied work experiences—nurse, waitress, dressmaker—underscore class mobility and the struggles of maintaining dignity across social strata.