# Ambition and Moral Compromise in The Talleyrand Maxim

> Theme guide for The Talleyrand Maxim by J. S. Fletcher.

The central character, Linford Pratt, is driven by a ruthless desire to rise from his humble position as a clerk to wealth and power, adopting Talleyrand's maxim and showing no objection to crookedness as long as it is safe and secret.

## Where it surfaces

- [I: Death Brings Opportunity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/i-death-brings-opportunity): Linford Pratt is introduced as a young man determined to succeed 'by hook or by crook,' willing to embrace crookedness if it can be done safely and secretly, setting the stage for his moral compromises.
- [XII: The Power of Attorney](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xii-the-power-of-attorney): Collingwood gives up his Indian appointment for love, while Pratt's ambition drives him to overstep professional boundaries, suggesting moral compromises in pursuit of personal gain.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/themes/ambition_and_moral_compromise
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/themes