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Chapter 9
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Westing Game, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Solidarity vs. Individualism
Capitalism, Greed, and Inheritance
Prejudice and Bigotry
Mystery and Intrigue
Summary
Analysis
Though Grace Wexler usually arrives fashionably late to parties, she doesn’t want to miss a second of Ford’s fete—she arrives right on time. As Grace introduces her husband Jake to the judge and beseechingly compliments Ford’s apartment, Jake quietly smirks at his “social-climbing wife.” Ford excuses herself from her conversation with Grace just as Grace begins to explain her familial connection to Sam Westing—Ford is unimpressed by pretenders like Grace. Over the next several hours, the party goes on and on as the gathered guests drink and hob-knob—everyone refuses to leave, unwilling to miss even the hint of a clue.
This passage reveals that while many heirs are individualistic, self-absorbed, and focused solely on furthering their own claims to the inheritance, others—often those close to them—consider the whole enterprise a sham and lament the social-climbing, greedy ways of those desperate to win. Jake and Grace are a married couple—yet this passage makes it clear that they have completely different philosophies in life.
Themes
Jake moseys over to Angela and asks how she’s faring without her fiancé. Angela is frustrated that everyone always asks about Denton as if she herself isn’t a person without him; she’s also angry that Grace made her change out of her twin costume, and now she and Sydelle have no way of finding out who might be a twin. Jake starts talking to Madame Hoo, who is standing nearby. Angela points out that the woman does not speak English. She never will, Jake retorts, if no one talks to her. He continues talking with Madame Hoo, who points out the snow outside and hints that she misses China. Angela is embarrassed by how her fear of making the wrong move socially in front of her mother often results in her acting cruel to others.
This passage hints at the seriously complicated inner lives of all the gathered heirs. Angela does something reprehensible—she makes the bigoted suggestion that because Madame Hoo doesn’t speak English, she should be ignored—yet she is privately battling her own insecurities. Angela herself feels those around her discount her and misjudge her—so she, in turn, reacts to only what she can see of other people’s surface lives.
Themes
Sydelle Pulaski, meanwhile, moves around the party talking to different groups of people, artlessly working the concept of twins into each conversation with no luck. Judge Ford watches George and Catherine Theodorakis—Theo and Chris’s parents—as they stand together with Chris, looking troubled and tired, in the corner of the room. Ford, determined to talk to Hoo, the inventor, makes her way over to him and begins asking him about his restaurant. Sydelle interrupts their conversation, much to Ford’s chagrin.
The complicated social dynamics at the party intensify as the night goes on and the heirs struggle to get in all the conversations, questions, and introductions they can. Rather than find a better way to socialize and organize the party, they continue competing for the spotlight and butting into one another’s conversations selfishly and thoughtlessly.
Themes
Meanwhile, Grace fusses over Angela and tells her she’s arranged for Mr. Hoo to cater her upcoming bridal shower—and for Madame Hoo, in a “slinky Chinese gown,” to serve the food. Angela rushes away, fearing she’s about to burst out crying. In the kitchen, she finds Crow standing there alone. Crow passes Angela a dishtowel and Angela immediately begins weeping into it.
Grace continues to treat the Hoos as lesser—much to Angela’s chagrin, disappointment, and embarrassment. Crow and Angela begin forming a connection—perhaps the only genuine one yet.
Themes
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Turtle and Flora poll the gathered guests about whether they think “May God thy gold refine” is a quotation from Shakespeare or the Bible. When Turtle gets to Sydelle, Sydelle taunts Turtle by reminding her of the entire quotation listed in the will: “Spend it wisely and may God thy gold refine.” The gathered guests, who have been listening to Sydelle in hopes of getting a real clue to what the woman remembers from the will, sigh in disappointment. Soon, the guests begin making their way home.
The guests only stay at the party for as long as they believe they can get something out of being there. As soon as Sydelle declares she won’t share her notes on the will, they can no longer feign interest in being around one another. This shows how selfishly the heirs are trying to use one another for information and clout—they don’t yet really care about getting to know one another as people.
Themes
