The Rise of Silas Lapham · Question
How does The Rise of Silas Lapham develop the theme of Social Class and Mobility?
Answer
The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells develops Social Class and Mobility across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The novel explores the tensions between the newly wealthy Lapham family and the established Boston aristocracy, highlighting the challenges and prejudices faced by those attempting to rise in social status.
The Laphams grapple with their social standing, feeling the sting of the Coreys' polite condescension and considering building on Beacon Street to improve their position.
Lapham's building of a grand house on the Back Bay symbolizes his aspiration to rise socially, while his architectural choices reveal the tension between his rustic tastes and the refined expectations of upper-class Boston.
The conversation between Tom and Bromfield Corey explores the tensions between old money and new money, and the social mobility of the nouveau riche in Boston society.
Evidence in the book
- II
The Laphams grapple with their social standing, feeling the sting of the Coreys' polite condescension and considering building on Beacon Street to improve their position.
- III
Lapham's building of a grand house on the Back Bay symbolizes his aspiration to rise socially, while his architectural choices reveal the tension between his rustic tastes and the refined expectations of upper-class Boston.
- V
The conversation between Tom and Bromfield Corey explores the tensions between old money and new money, and the social mobility of the nouveau riche in Boston society.
- VI
The chapter explores the clash between old-money Boston society (the Coreys) and the newly wealthy Laphams, as seen in Mrs. Corey's distaste for the paint business and the Laphams' social standing.
- VII
Lapham's delight in Corey's presence and his hatred of the Corey name as a symbol of unattainable splendor underscore the class tensions and aspirations of the nouveau riche.
- Chapter VIII
Mrs. Corey's discomfort with Tom joining Lapham's business highlights the tension between old Boston aristocracy and newly wealthy industrialists.
- IX
Lapham's pride in having Bromfield Corey's son as an employee highlights the tension between self-made wealth and inherited social status; Mrs. Lapham's caution against appearing to pursue Corey underscores class anxieties.
- Chapter XI
The chapter highlights the tension between Lapham's new wealth and the Coreys' established social position, as well as the unspoken rules of social interaction that Lapham struggles to understand.
