The Magnificent Amberson are becoming a bit tarnished.
I’m 60% through the novel. Published in 1918, I’ve found (as with His Family that we just finished) a timelessness of social woe.
In today’s timeless lesson on social behavior, we hold up: The entitlement of youth.
And boy oh boy this kid’s got it in SPADES man! At this point, he literally said he went to college to show off family money. And once home he has no interest in any profession or career and such affluence shouldn’t have to. Any career should be below them and the affluent shouldn’t work.
WHAT. THE… yep. Grandpa’s money, or what he calls the ‘family’ money (so not only entitled but egregiously assumptive) and feeling not one inclination to the endeavors that originally made that fortune possible.
And the era would lend itself to entrepreneurial endeavors or even passive investments.
Nope, not this kid. Not only does he, at this point, want his own mouth fed, he wants to marry and add another mouth to the silver-spoon feeding.
Even while watching open land (even his Grandfather’s estate land) sprout the house and homes of a city. Disparaging it instead of looking for opportunity or more… the cautious warning it is.
But that’s our blessed Georgie porgie. What a twat.
But alas, I will push on. Despite the heartbreak I see looming.
Hopefully, by next week, I’ll have this one put to bed.
ON DECK!
No winner in 1920 so we move on to the 1921 winner:
The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton (Appleton)
Jump in and join me anytime! Twitter comments welcome too @ljhanson_writes
Laura J. Hanson 