The Perennial Bachelor · Theme
Social Class and Decline
How The Perennial Bachelor develops Social Class and Decline.
The Campions experience a gradual fall from wealth and social standing, struggling to maintain appearances while their resources dwindle, and the novel contrasts their faded gentility with the rising fortunes of others.
Where it surfaces
- IV
The family's struggle to maintain their lifestyle despite financial constraints after Papa's death.
- VII
The chapter details the Campions' gradual financial decline and their attempts to maintain appearances, from selling land to buying small luxuries.
- VIII
The family's social activities and concerns about appearances reflect their middle-class status and the pressures to maintain it.
- IX
The Campions' modest Christmas celebration and the presence of Mr. Lacey, a potential suitor, hint at their social standing and the family's decline.
- X
Mamma's worry about her dress and household reflects her concern with maintaining social standing despite financial constraints.
- XII
The community's modest fundraising and Aunt Priscilla's reused costumes reflect a genteel poverty and the effort to maintain appearances.
- XIV
The family's reduced circumstances are evident in their inability to keep servants, contrasting with their former status.
- XVII
The contrast between the Campion sisters' homemade clothes and Mrs. Hawthorn's elegance underscores the family's social decline and the sting of being seen as 'country bumpkins.'
- XVIII
Victor notices the decay of his home and feels the pressure of maintaining the family estate, reflecting the family's decline.
- XIX
Victor's discomfort at the Hawthorn's home and his inability to navigate the fancy restaurant menu highlight the Campion family's social decline.
- XXI
Victor's modest salary and daily routine contrast with Lucy's wealthy lifestyle and her marriage to a titled European, highlighting class differences.
- XXIII
The Campions' financial struggles and their efforts to earn money through crafts and lessons illustrate their social decline.
- XXIV
The contrast between the Campions' shabby gentility and Daisy Blow's nouveau riche extravagance highlights class tensions and the family's reduced circumstances.
- XXVI
The family's financial struggles force them to take in boarders, a sign of their reduced social standing.
- XXVIII
The Campions move to a plainer house while the Spears enhance The Maples, highlighting the family's social decline.
