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Book 1, Chapter 16
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Our Mutual Friend, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Society, Class, and Character
Greed and Corruption
Marriage, Adoption, and Family
Education vs. Real-World Experience
Misfits and Outcasts
Summary
Analysis
People start leaving invitations and visiting cards at the door of Boffin and Henerietty’s new house, including the Veneerings, Lady Tippins, Mr. Podsnap and Mrs. Podsnap, and others. Bella comes to live with the Boffins for an indefinite period of time. All the local businesses try to win favor with the Boffins to get some new orders from them. Rokesmith keeps track of all of the people who want Boffin’s money, which he thinks of as a “Dismal Swamp,” as he continues to act as secretary. Meanwhile, Wegg searches around the old Boffin home, looking for something in particular.
Boffin and Henerietty’s move to their new house signals their entrance into upper-class London society, as shown by the visiting cards from all of the better-established members of the upper-class. This includes the Veneerings, who were once themselves ostracized for being new money but who seem to be slowly weaving their way into a more secure position. By managing Boffin’s finances, Rokesmith gets to see the perils of having a lot of money without facing the consequences himself—this will be relevant for his character later.
Themes
Literary Devices
