Class and Professional Identity

The book contrasts the shabby, struggling life of a general practitioner (Jervis) with the prestigious, intellectual world of the legal and scientific elite (Thorndyke), and examines social hierarchies through characters like the democratic bottle-boy.

Thorndyke criticizes Jervis's casual employment as beneath his class and professional attainments, urging him to seek a proper career.

Jervis's frustration with the police and his longing for the dignified work of the Temple reflect tensions between general practice and specialized professional identity.

The contrast between the old-fashioned lawyer Marchmont and the scientific lawyer Thorndyke highlights professional tensions.