# Social Class and Mobility in The Rise of Silas Lapham

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

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.

## Where it surfaces

- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/viii): Mrs. Corey's discomfort with Tom joining Lapham's business highlights the tension between old Boston aristocracy and newly wealthy industrialists.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/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.
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xii): The chapter vividly illustrates the social chasm between the established Corey family and the newly wealthy Laphams, as Mrs. Corey's visit is fraught with class anxiety and condescension.
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xiii): The chapter highlights the social chasm between the established Coreys and the nouveau riche Laphams, as Mrs. Corey orchestrates a dinner to manage social debt while maintaining class distinctions.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xiv): Lapham's discomfort and eventual boasting at the Corey dinner illustrate the tensions between the newly rich and the established elite.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xv): Corey's internal conflict highlights the tension between his aristocratic upbringing and his association with the nouveau riche Lapham, as he grapples with class-based prejudices and his own sense of duty.
- [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xx): Bromfield Corey's distaste for the Laphams highlights class prejudice and the discomfort of social mixing.
- [Chapter XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xxiii): Tom Corey's offer to invest in Lapham's business highlights the intersection of old money and new money, and the risks of social climbing.
- [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xxiv): The Laphams' concern about appearing beholden to the Coreys highlights class tensions and the precariousness of social climbing.
- [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xxv): Lapham's provincial origins and his struggle to secure capital highlight the barriers faced by self-made men in Boston's established financial circles.
- [Chapter XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rise_of_silas_lapham_se/chapters/xxvii): The Coreys' mixed feelings about Penelope and the Laphams' return to the farm highlight the persistent class distinctions and the difficulty of social integration.

## Links

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