Our Mutual Friend Themes

Our Mutual Friend contains a large cast of characters from all parts of society, from a member of Parliament all the way down to a man who scavenges dead bodies from the River Thames. The novel depicts London as a highly stratified society where everyone knows where they fit in, but it also shows how a person’s social class doesn’t necessarily reflect their strength of character. The character at the center of everything is…

Our Mutual Friend explores what happens to the deceased old Mr. Harmon’s immense fortune. The money was originally supposed to go to his son, John Harmon (on the condition that he marry Bella), but it ends up going to Noddy Boffin after John’s supposed death. Boffin struggles at first to adapt to his new wealthy lifestyle. But soon, greed seems to consume him, as he becomes obsessed with saving money and with collecting…

The characters in Our Mutual Friend have all had a range of experiences with formal education. Initially, the conflict seems to be straightforward. Gaffer is a simple man who resents people with fancy educations, perhaps partly out of jealousy. This is why he strongly discourages his children, Lizzie and Charley, from seeking to educate themselves in any way. Lizzie in particular is bright, and so her inability to get an education seems to be…

Several characters from Our Mutual Friend come from the margins of society. Often, this is due to a physical condition, like Silas Wegg’s wooden leg or Jenny Wren’s back. But it can also arise from something less tangible, like how Riah faces discrimination because he is a Jewish man living in a largely Christian country. On the one hand, the novel often treats these characters with dignity, portraying Jenny for example as a…