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Book 4, Chapter 13
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
John Harmon and Bella move in to their new home. Meanwhile, the last of the dust gets cleared from the Mounds near Boffin’s Bower, and Silas Wegg, disappointed that no valuables turned up in the Mounds, nevertheless prepares to make his move against Boffin. He goes to Venus’s taxidermy shop.
At this point in the story, Wegg still believes that he has the upper hand on Boffin. Knowing that Boffin was never really a miser, Wegg’s actions and attempts to blackmail Boffin become particularly unsympathetic. Like many of the greedy characters in the story, in spite of his paranoia, Wegg still can’t always see the danger around him, like the fact that Venus betrayed him to Boffin.
Themes
Wegg is surprised at how clean Venus’s shop looks, and he says that he’s had help from a woman: Pleasant Riderhood. Wegg makes plans to go with Venus the next morning to carry out their threat against Boffin. Together they go to Boffin’s house and present him with the will. Wegg asks Boffin how much the will is worth to him. But John Harmon intervenes, saying the will is worth nothing.
The twist that Wegg’s version of the will is outdated isn’t much of a twist—Boffin has clearly been well prepared for this moment. Instead of being a tense exchange, this passage becomes humorous, as the hapless Wegg realizes that his big schemes will amount to nothing.
Themes
Sloppy shows Wegg the glass bottle that Boffin dug up earlier. It turns out to contain a more recent version of old Mr. Harmon’s will, which invalidates the old one that Wegg has. Boffin tells Wegg that he has no more leverage over him. Boffin attempts to give Wegg a final payment for his reading services, but Wegg refuses. Sloppy takes Wegg and throws him out onto the street while Venus holds the door open.
Boffin tries to treat Wegg fairly by giving him a final payment for his services in spite of everything, but Wegg rejects it out of spite. Ultimately, Wegg is not quite a villain to the same extent as Headstone or Fledgeby, since he is less competent at hurting others. His exit from the narrative is unceremonious and embarrassing, but not a major punishment.
Themes
