# Isolation and Urban Anonymity in The Lodger

> Theme guide for The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes.

The Buntings are isolated from former friends and neighbours, and the lodger is a solitary figure who 'creeps out' at night, reflecting how the vast, foggy city of London enables both social alienation and the concealment of violent crime.

## Where it surfaces

- [Epigraph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/chapters/epigraph): The epigraph evokes a sense of utter loneliness and separation from loved ones, setting a tone of isolation.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/chapters/v): Mr. Sleuth's solitary life in lodgings, his avoidance of women, and his night wanderings underscore his isolation; the Buntings' home becomes a microcosm of urban anonymity.
- [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/chapters/xiii): The fog isolates the characters, and Mr. Sleuth's solitary, persecuted demeanor underscores his anonymity and detachment from society.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/chapters/xiv): The fog-bound house and the lodger's secretive nighttime activities underscore the isolation and anonymity of urban life.
- [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/chapters/xx): The narrow, identical houses symbolize secrecy; Mrs. Bunting feels alone in her knowledge and dread.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/themes/isolation_and_urban_anonymity
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/themes