Social Class and Marriage

The book examines the constraints of class and respectability in marriage, as seen in Vansittart's choice of Eve, a woman from a disreputable family, and the contrasting expectations of his mother and sister regarding suitable matches.

Maud's debut and the attention from Sir Hubert Hartley reflect the importance of marriage and social standing in upper-class society.

Maud's marriage to Sir Hubert and the social dynamics of the house party, including Miss Green's inheritance restrictions, highlight class and marital expectations.

The ball is a key setting for social maneuvering, where Vansittart's attentions to Eve are contrasted with the 'pettiness of village society' and the awareness of the Marchant girls that they are 'not in society'.

Vansittart, a man of property and position, is fascinated by the Marchants' Bohemian lifestyle, which contrasts with the conventional respectability of his own class. His interest in Eve is heightened by the pathos and comedy of her circumstances.