# Pride and Humility in The Rise of Silas Lapham

> Theme guide for The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells.

Lapham's pride in his success and his eventual humbling through financial collapse and social rejection form a central arc, emphasizing the dangers of arrogance and the value of humility.

## Where it surfaces

- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/iv): Silas Lapham's pride in his business and his boasting at the building site are tempered by his wife's quiet influence and Irene's social anxieties.
- [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xi): Lapham's pride is wounded by his wife's criticism and his own awareness of social inadequacy; Bromfield Corey's condescension reflects a different kind of pride.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xv): Lapham's abject humiliation and Corey's struggle with his own pride and sense of superiority illustrate the chapter's focus on pride and humility.
- [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xxiv): Lapham's refusal of Corey's offer and his reluctance to sell the house or declare assignment stem from pride, while his eventual willingness to sacrifice shows a grudging humility.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/themes/pride_and_humility
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/themes