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The Lodger · Theme
Class and Respectability
How The Lodger develops Class and Respectability.
The Buntings, as former servants, cling to middle-class markers like good furniture and cleanliness, while the lodger is identified as a 'gentleman' by his manner, yet class distinctions blur as both the respectable and the criminal inhabit the same domestic space.
Where it surfaces
- I
Their former lives in service and their efforts to maintain a respectable front highlight the importance of class standing and the fear of falling into the 'submerged multitude.'
- Chapter XXIV
Bunting's primary fear is that involvement with the police will ruin his and Ellen's chance at a 'good joint situation,' reflecting the precarious social standing of their class.