The Little Nugget · Theme
Wealth and Corruption
How The Little Nugget develops Wealth and Corruption.
Elmer Ford's immense wealth corrupts his family, turning his son Ogden into a spoiled, cynical child and attracting a host of unscrupulous characters who view the boy as a commodity.
Where it surfaces
- I
Mrs. Ford's wealth enables the kidnapping scheme and the payment of Cynthia's debts, while Ogden's spoiled nature reflects the corrupting influence of money.
- II
Cynthia's mercenary approach to marriage and the use of bribery highlight the corrupting influence of wealth.
- III
Peter pays a premium to offset the financial harm of kidnapping Ogden, illustrating how money is used to assuage moral qualms.
- II
Ogden's wealth and indulgent upbringing have made him unruly and corrupt; his father is described as a 'typical American merchant prince.'
- IV
Ogden Ford's immense wealth makes him a target for kidnapping schemes, illustrating how wealth corrupts and attracts criminal elements.
- VI
Ogden Ford's wealth and the schemes surrounding him illustrate how money corrupts relationships and motives.
- I
The kidnapping scheme is motivated by the Ford family's wealth, and the characters' actions are driven by greed.
- IX
The kidnapping plot is driven by the immense wealth of Ogden Ford's family, highlighting how money corrupts and motivates criminal behavior.
- II
The kidnapping plot centers on Ogden Ford's value as the son of a millionaire, illustrating how wealth attracts criminal schemes.
- II
The negotiation revolves around buying out Peter's claim to the Little Nugget, with Sam and Buck using financial leverage and threats.
- XVII
The Fords' wealth enables their manipulative negotiations, and Sam's proposal exploits their financial power for personal gain.