Podsnappery And The Veneerings In ?Our Mutual Friend? Essay, Research Paper
`Quotations. 1)???????? ? Mr and Mrs
Veneering were bran-new people in a bran-new house in a bran-new quarter of
London.? Everything about the Veneerings
was spick and span new?the surface smelt a little too much of the workshop and
was a trifle stickey.?(P.48) ??????????? The
nouveau-riche class in London are epitomised by the Veneering household.? Dickens shows his own perception of this new
class springing up within the city with his less than favourable descriptions
of the Veneerings. In this introductory passage, Dickens clearly shows that in
order to attempt to fit in with the society with which they now associated, the
Veneerings had brought a lot of flashy, showy, ?bran-new? furniture, and their
whole lives revolve around putting on an act for the rest of the world that is
only just a veneer.? As the name
suggests, the Veneerings are shallow, hollow people who use the acquired riches
to cover over all their own shortcomings.2)???????? ?There is
excitement in the Veneering mansion?in order that tomorrow?s feast may be
crowned with flowers.?(P.159) ??????????? The
Veneerings are clearly intending to enhance their position in society by this
gesture.? Their extreme generosity in
laying on the wedding for two of their acquaintances does not come out of
kindness, but out of their wish to show those around them how wealthy they
are.? The outcome of the wedding also
shows that Veneering is not the most astute of characters as he fails to
recognise that both Alfred and Sophroniaan have deceived him as regards to
their financial situations.? The whole
picture of Veneering laying on a large wedding for two almost strangers simply
adds to the impression of Veneering being a shallow character only concerned with
advancing his own situation by means of showing himself to be a rich aristocrat
with money to burn.3)???????? ?Mr Podsnap
was well to do and stood very highly in Mr Podsnap?s opinion?and he felt
conscious that he set a brilliant social example in being particularly well
satisfied with most things, and, above all other things, with himself? (P.174) ??????????? This
opening few lines of the chapter entitled ?Podsnappery? give us as readers a
particularly good insight into the person of Mr Podsnap. Throughout the story
he is the object of Dickens? distain.?
He thinks himself to be better than all of those around him.? He enjoys being in society, but only in
order to bring himself into the limelight, show off his wealth and further
advance his own position as a wealthy, well to do gentleman.? He uses people simply in order to enhance
his own ego and make him feel better about himself.? He is pompous, arrogant and full of self-importance.? This is the type of character Dickens?
attempts to portray as a typical upper class gentleman. The passage continues
showing Podsnap?s reluctance to deal with difficult problems, his dislike for
foreigners, his regular existence moving from day to day in a set pattern
(?getting up at eight, shaving close to quarter past, breakfasting at nine,
going to the City at ten, coming home at half-past five, and dining at seven.?)
and his unwillingness to look outside of his own existence, shows what a
shallow, meaningless existence he leads and how blissfully unaware of this fact
he is.4)???????? ?These may
be said to be the articles of faith and school which the present chapter takes
the liberty of calling, after its representative man, Podsnappery?and they were
enunciated with a sounding pomp that smacked the creaking of Mr Podsnap?s own
boots.?(P.175) ??????????? It is clear
through this quotation that Dickens realises that the stereotype to which he
refers in Mr. Podsnap is not simply confined to few and far between, but in his
description of Podsnap, Dickens refers to a class of people, and is making a
profound statement about the lives they lead.?
His profound criticism of their existence is the lack of meaning in it;
he thinks them pompous, conceited and totally self-orientated, obsessed by
position and power.5)???????? ?The
majority of the guests were like the plate, and included several heavy articles
weighing ever so much.? (P.177) ??????????? Showing the
indulgence of the rich society, and the desire to show off what they have.6)???????? ?But there
was a foreign Gentleman among them?which one would seek in vain among the
Nations of the Earth.?(P.179-181) ??????????? Podsnap
here shows his profound belief that he is superior to everybody else in every
way despite evidence to the contrary.?
His broad and sweeping statements are based on no evidence except his
own convictions, and by treating the Frenchman as inferior to himself he shows his
belief that th
no matter who they are.? His beliefs,
although sincere, are wholly unfounded and his pretence at superior
intelligence is no more than that.? He
shows himself in this passage to be conceited, arrogant, full of
self-importance, ill educated and irrational.7)???????? ?Britannia,
sitting meditating one fine day?but he says he will give Veneering four hours.?
(P.295) ??????????? This
passage shows Dickens? illustration of the corruption both within parliament
and within the upper classes at time.8)???????? ?Veneering
then says to Mrs. Veneering, ?We must work,?? I am not strong enough to bear
him.? (P.295-306) ??????????? This
passage is concerned with Veneering becoming an M.P.? Although he is offered the job on a plate through bribery, he
insists upon rushing around asking his ?friends? to gather round him. This
although it is wholly unnecessary gives the appearance of him doing something
that he considers ?work?.? It is clear
that Veneering has never really ?worked? and has led a life of luxury.? He is also unintelligent, as he has been
given the job anyway via the bribe, the day spent rushing to see his friends is
quite unnecessary. However, it does serve the purpose of enhancing Veneerings?
position in society by announcing his newly acquired position to all in
society.9)???????? ?Now I shall
be plain with you, Veneering,?Then I?ll work for you.? (P.299) ??????????? Podsnap
shows just how superior he considers himself to be by his insistence that he
would be in parliament if he chose to be so.?
It appears that he has to be one better than anybody else who succeeds
in order to keep his ego at its current over-inflated level. His unashamed
belief that he is superior to Veneering in every way is shown by his attitude
towards Veneering?s request and his condescending attitude to his ?friend?
shows his apparent disregard for everything outside of himself.10)?????? ?Veneering,
M.P.,?the vanished person has been spirited away or otherwise harmed.? (P.472) ??????????? This
extract shows that already Veneering is beginning to put on the airs and graces
of a M.P. when it is quite unnecessary to do so.? He is using his position to advance his respectability and
position in society so that he can feel superior to all those around him.11)?????? ?But, nobody
is half so much surprised as Hamilton Veneering, Esquire, M.P?.a wondering
dinner? (P.683) ??????????? As soon as
the Lammles lose their ?money? and respectability through their position in
society, they are instantly disregarded as friends or acquaintances; the whole
of society deems them to be outcast from their previous place among them.? This is the fickle nature of the Veneerings,
the Podsnaps and al of their closest contacts that they will not accept anybody
as a friend who lacks money, power or position.? Their friends therefore are not really friends but objects for
selfish goals.? Veneering is particular
surrounds himself with the rich and powerful for his own self-aggrandisement.12)?????? ?I, Podsnap
casually remark elsewhere that I dined last Monday with a gorgeous caravan of
camels.? (P.684) ??????????? Podsnap
seizes an opportunity here to enhance his own position in society through
telling others about his rich and important connections with which he dined
last Monday.13)?????? ?Veneering
pervades the legislative lobbies?bran-new faces overnight.? (P.683) ??????????? Veneering
is intent on showing his friends and acquaintances his newfound importance by
bringing other M.Ps to dine with him.?
This is yet another attempt by Veneering to display his new powerful
position in society.14)?????? ?The
Veneerings have been, as usual, indefatigably dealing dinner cards to society.?
(P.886) ??????????? The
Veneerings deal out diner cards on a regular basis to give the impression that
they have a huge fortune and can afford to give large, lavish diner parties,
and thereby enhance their own position in society, as the more money one
appears to have, the more influential one is!15)?????? ?Yes?and in a
perfectly private and confidential manner.??
(P.887) ??????????? The
Veneerings through lavish expenditure and desire for importance and influence
in society have over expended and lived beyond their means.? In their desire for acceptance they lost
their money and through the fickle nature of their importance they have lost
all friends and acquaintances once their money has gone.? This shows the total lack of real friendship
within the upper-class society epitomised by the Veneerings and the
Podsnaps.? When Veneering loses his
money, society rejects Veneering as does parliament, and all that Veneering had
worked for has gone along with his money.????????????