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Chapter 12
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Bad Beginning, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Family and Parenthood
Surveillance, Supervision, and Guardianship
Children vs. Adults
Intelligence and Ethics
Summary
Analysis
Count Olaf addresses the audience, informing them that the play is over. He explains that it does not need to continue because he has successfully married Violet and is now in charge of the Baudelaire fortune. The audience gasps, and even some of the performers look surprised. Count Olaf explains why the marriage is legally binding, clarifying that he, as Violet’s legal guardian, agrees to her being old enough to marry. He also reveals that the marriage document is legitimate, contrary to what Justice Strauss thought. After a moment of consideration, Justice Strauss agrees that the marriage is legitimate.
Believing himself to be invulnerable, Count Olaf ends the play and exposes his plot to the audience. Though he has every reason to believe in his victory––Justice Strauss confirms it––this still highlights his hubris and performativity. He is not content to merely steal the Baudelaire fortune—he also wants to boast about it. Despite all his criminality, Count Olaf is still an actor at heart, and it shows.
Themes
Mr. Poe expresses his disbelief, but Justice Strauss tells him it is true, and laments being tricked so easily. Count Olaf starts to leave, but Klaus demands that he free Sunny before doing so. Count Olaf calls his henchman on the walkie-talkie and tells him to let Sunny go. Klaus is relieved, but the bald troupe member whispers that Count Olaf will “take care” of them later. Mr. Poe protests the whole situation, saying he won’t allow it, but Count Olaf says he must, and Justice Strauss agrees.
Mr. Poe and Justice Strauss, the two major adults in the Baudelaire children’s life, realize that they have been tricked. Mr. Poe is shocked to the point of disbelief, highlighting how un-seriously he has taken the children’s accusations against Count Olaf—he did not even consider that Count Olaf could be a bad man. Klaus, remembering the reason for Violet’s sacrifice in the first place, demands that Olaf release Sunny, showcasing his smarts even under serious stress.
Themes
Violet speaks up for the first time, claiming that the marriage is invalid. She explains that she signed the document with her left hand, not her right hand. This means that she did not sign in her “own hand,” as the law requires. Count Olaf contests her claim, but Justice Strauss rules that Violet is right and that the marriage is invalid. Someone in the crowd cheers, and several people applaud. Lemony Snicket explains how strange the law can be, citing other examples, like a country that requires all bread to be sold at the same price.
The mystery surrounding Violet’s left-handed signature comes to light. As it turns out, she signed with her non-dominant hand, hoping it would nullify the marriage. Again, this reveals Violet’s remarkable intelligence as well has her ability to think clearly, even under trying circumstances.
Themes
Count Olaf goes to push a button the walkie-talkie, but it is too late: Sunny has already arrived. Violet and Klaus hug their sister and ask for food to feed her. Count Olaf becomes angry and starts to say that Violet is still his daughter, but Mr. Poe interrupts him, stating that he will no longer allow Count Olaf to maintain custody of the children. Justice Strauss points out that while marrying someone is not illegal, hanging a child from a window is, and she offers to let the children live with her. Mr. Poe puts Count Olaf under arrest, and the Baudelaire children celebrate getting to live with Justice Strauss.
Everything finally seems to go right for Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. Sunny returns before Count Olaf can harm her, inadvertently revealing his illegal plot to hurt Sunny. Accordingly, Mr. Poe removes Olaf’s custody of the Baudelaire children and, after a ruling from Justice Strauss, places him under arrest. Justice Strauss then offers to take custody of the Baudelaire children, which they gleefully accept—it is what they wanted all along.
Themes
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Lemony Snicket gives his readers a warning, reminding them that, despite all appearances, the story does not have a happy ending. He explains that, as everyone was celebrating, the man with the warts on his face switches off the lights in the theatre. This sends everything into chaos, and Violet searches for the light switch. As she’s about to pull the switch, Count Olaf hisses in her ear that he will get their fortune and kill them. Violet screams and turns on the light switch, but Count Olaf is gone.
Lemony Snicket harkens back to the first lines of the story, reminding the readers that the story does not end happily. This emphasizes how obstructive and Lemony Snicket is a narrator. It also highlights his dark humor: instead letting the events pan out naturally for the readers, he playfully spoils the ending, robbing his readers of any remaining hope for the final pages of the novel. Snicket’s refusal to end the Baudelaire children’s on a happy note reflects his respect for his young readers: despite their youth, he believes they are mature and intelligent enough to accept that not all problems have resolutions.
Themes
Mr. Poe and the children realize that not only is Count Olaf gone, but so is his much of his troupe. Mr. Poe leads them all outside, and they see a black car slipping away into the night. Mr. Poe reassures the children that Count Olaf and his troupe will be arrested and goes to call the police. The children are less certain, however, knowing how clever Count Olaf is. Justice Strauss offers to take the children home, but Mr. Poe interrupts. He says the children cannot live with Justice Strauss because she is not a relative. The children protest, but Mr. Poe says he must follow the will, which stipulates that the children must live with a relative. He explains they will stay with him until they find a new home.
Though Count Olaf escapes, the true tragedy of the evening is Mr. Poe’s rejection of Justice Strauss as the children’s new legal guardian. Though his legal reasoning is solid, his choice is clearly wrong given how good a match Justice Strauss makes for the children—not only does she care for them personally, but she also has the resources to properly educate and take care of them. This shows that laws can sometimes harm the very people they intend to protect.
Themes
Justice Strauss agrees with Mr. Poe’s decision and hugs the children. Violet, Klaus and Sunny think of their parents and wish that the fire never happened. They want to live with Justice Strauss, but they know that it’s impossible. Violet tells Justice Strauss that they will miss her, and then they all embrace and say goodbye. The children get into Mr. Poe’s car and think that the law had wronged them by not letting them live with Justice Strauss. Lemony Snicket explains that just because a person doesn’t understand something doesn’t mean it’s not true. The children drive away from Justice Strauss, feeling as though they’re going in the wrong direction.
Violet, Klaus, and Sunny end the story in much the same place that they started. Though they have matured much since their parents’ death, proving themselves to be more than capable of making decisions for themselves, they still find themselves at the mercy of adults who don’t take them seriously. They are more than capable of picking a suitable legal guardian, and yet, because of their age, Mr. Poe refuses to let them live with Justice Strauss. For this reason, the ending is bittersweet. The children have successfully saved themselves and their family fortune from Count Olaf, and yet little has changed otherwise.
Themes
