Money and Social Class

The pursuit, inheritance, and meaning of money are central, with the novel arguing that financial independence is the key to personal freedom, while also dissecting the rigid class structures and the pretensions of the rising middle class.

Old Mr. Pontifex rises from day laborer to farmer and carpenter, while his son becomes wealthy; the narrator's father argues that true ability is not measured by material success.

George Pontifex's rise from a village boy to a wealthy London publisher illustrates the pursuit of social mobility and the importance of financial success.

The dole of penny loaves highlights the social hierarchy and the children's sense of importance as inhabitants of the village, as well as the shame associated with poverty.

Pontifex's travels and his concern with appearing cultured reflect the aspirations of the wealthy middle class to emulate aristocratic taste.