# The Young Visiters — Themes

> Major themes in The Young Visiters by Daisy Ashford.

## Social Class and Aspiration

The book centers on Mr. Salteena's desperate desire to become a gentleman, his anxiety about his butcher father, and the characters' constant preoccupation with titles, nobility, and social climbing, all rendered with a child's naive understanding of class distinctions.

### Where it surfaces

- [The Young Visiters Or, Mr. Salteena's Plan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/the-young-visiters): Mr. Salteena's plan to become a gentleman highlights his desire to climb the social ladder and gain acceptance in high society.
- [I: Quite a Young Girl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/i-quite-a-young-girl): Mr. Salteena's admission that he is 'not quite a gentleman' and his concern about the top hat's ribbon being 'too flighty' highlight his anxiety about social standing and his desire to appear respectable.
- [Starting Gaily](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/ii-starting-gaily): Mr. Salteena's anxiety about tipping, traveling second class, and his jealousy of Bernard's wealth highlight his aspirations and insecurities regarding social standing.
- [The First Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/iii-the-first-evening): Mr. Salteena's envy of Bernard's ancestral portraits and his attempt to follow correct etiquette highlight his social climbing.
- [Mr. Salteenas Plan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/iv-mr-salteenas-plan): Mr. Salteena's earnest desire to become a 'real thing' gentleman drives the chapter, highlighting the social climbing and class anxieties of the era.
- [V: The Crystal Palace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/v-the-crystal-palace): Mr. Salteena's journey to become a gentleman, his nervousness about his background, and the Earl's training scheme highlight the theme of social climbing and class anxiety.

## Love and Marriage

Romantic love and marriage drive the plot, from Bernard's passionate proposal to Ethel, to Mr. Salteena's unrequited love, and the eventual marriages of all main characters, portrayed with melodramatic intensity and a child's view of adult romance.

### Where it surfaces

- [Bernards Idear](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/vii-bernards-idear): Bernard's private thoughts about marrying Ethel and his blushing indicate romantic interest.
- [A Gay Call](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/viii-a-gay-call): Mr. Salteena's passionate proposal to Ethel and her rejection underscore the theme of unrequited love and the social pressures surrounding marriage.
- [IX: A Proposale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/ix-a-proposale): The entire chapter centers on Bernard's proposal to Ethel, highlighting the romantic ideal of marriage as the culmination of passionate love.
- [X: Preparing for the Fray](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/x-preparing-for-the-fray): The chapter focuses on the wedding preparations, highlighting the romantic and social aspects of marriage.
- [XI: The Wedding](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/xi-the-wedding): The chapter centers on the wedding of Ethel and Bernard, celebrating their union and the societal rituals of marriage.
- [XII: How It Ended](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/xii-how-it-ended): The chapter concludes the marriages of all main characters, contrasting Bernard and Ethel's happy union with Mr. Salteena's regret and the Earl's dissatisfaction.

## Innocence and Naivete

The nine-year-old author's perspective infuses the story with charming misunderstandings of adult life, such as confusing 'sinister son' with a royal title, believing marriage leads immediately to children, and describing high society with earnest simplicity.

### Where it surfaces

- [The Young Visiters Or, Mr. Salteena's Plan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/the-young-visiters): Mr. Salteena's simplistic belief that a visit to the Crystal Palace and London will transform him into a gentleman reflects his naive understanding of social advancement.
- [I: Quite a Young Girl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/i-quite-a-young-girl): Ethel's simple actions, like laying an egg for Mr. Salteena, and Mr. Salteena's straightforward acceptance of the invitation without suspicion reflect a childlike innocence and lack of worldly sophistication.
- [Starting Gaily](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/ii-starting-gaily): Both Mr. Salteena and Ethel display naivete about proper conduct during a visit, such as when to tip and how to behave, reflecting their lack of experience in high society.
- [V: The Crystal Palace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/v-the-crystal-palace): Mr. Salteena's excitement at the Crystal Palace, his trust in the Earl's plan, and his simple questions reveal his naive view of high society.
- [High Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/vi-high-life): Mr. Salteena's ignorance of court etiquette—asking if it is a fancy dress party, worrying about his trousers, and trusting Procurio's makeshift costume—reveals his charming naivety.
- [Bernards Idear](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/vii-bernards-idear): Ethel's excitement and lack of concern about propriety reflect her naive view of the trip.

## Wealth and Materialism

Characters are obsessed with luxurious possessions, from 'sumpshous' bathrooms and costly jewels to elaborate wedding feasts and fine clothing, equating material wealth with happiness and social standing.

### Where it surfaces

- [X: Preparing for the Fray](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/x-preparing-for-the-fray): Ethel and Bernard's extravagant spending on attire, jewelry, and refreshments underscores the importance of material display.

## Gender Roles and Courtship

The narrative reflects Victorian gender expectations, with men as active pursuers and protectors, women as objects of desire who use 'ruge' and fine dresses to attract suitors, and courtship following dramatic, ritualized patterns.

## Friendship and Loyalty

Despite romantic rivalries and jealousies, characters like Bernard and Mr. Salteena maintain their friendship, with Bernard helping Salteena's social ambitions and the Earl assisting him, showing loyalty amid personal disappointments.

### Where it surfaces

- [Mr. Salteenas Plan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/iv-mr-salteenas-plan): Bernard kindly offers advice, a letter of introduction, and agrees to care for Ethel, demonstrating loyalty to Mr. Salteena.

## Religion and Morality

Characters frequently engage in prayer, attend church, and reference piety, yet this coexists with worldly ambitions and moral lapses, reflecting a child's blend of religious instruction and everyday life.

### Where it surfaces

- [The First Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/iii-the-first-evening): Bernard's pious evening prayers contrast with Mr. Salteena's indifference, while Ethel admires the household's holiness.

## The Absurdity of High Society

The author's portrayal of aristocratic life—with its levées, titled characters, and elaborate etiquette—unintentionally satirizes the pretensions and absurdities of high society through innocent misapprehensions and exaggerated descriptions.

### Where it surfaces

- [The First Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/iii-the-first-evening): The comical descriptions of ancestors, including the 'Sinister son of Queen Victoria,' and the confusion over its meaning satirize aristocratic pretensions.
- [V: The Crystal Palace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/v-the-crystal-palace): The Earl's casual mention of charging £42 for training, the 'private compartments' for aristocrats with 'funny' family backgrounds, and the idea of galloping beside the royal carriage satirize the absurdities of aristocratic life.
- [High Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/vi-high-life): The levée is portrayed as a chaotic, ostentatious affair where titles are borrowed, costumes improvised, and the Prince of Wales casually discusses a job while dancing with an archduchess.
- [A Gay Call](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/viii-a-gay-call): The chaotic party, the Earl's casual bestowal of a title, and the characters' affected manners satirize the frivolity of elite social circles.
- [XII: How It Ended](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_young_visiters_se/chapters/xii-how-it-ended): The Earl's consideration of divorce as a 'Mortification' and the comical description of Mr. Salteena's riding mishaps highlight the absurdity of aristocratic life.

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