XI explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Social Class and Mobility

  Dryfoos's transition from farmer to wealthy speculator and his move to New York to gain social standing for his daughters illustrates the pursuit of upward mobility and the tensions it creates.

• Capitalism and Moral Compromise

  Dryfoos's financial success through speculation and his role as the magazine's 'Angel' highlight the compromises and motivations behind capitalist ventures.

• Urban vs. Rural Life

  The contrast between Dryfoos's nostalgic attachment to his farm and his eventual embrace of urban speculation and city life underscores the cultural shift from rural to urban America.

• Family and Generational Conflict

  The pressure from Dryfoos's daughters to sell the farm and his son Conrad's thwarted desire to study for the ministry reveal generational and familial tensions over values and life choices.

Characters to notice

• Mr. Dryfoos

  Fulkerson tells the story of Dryfoos's rise from farmer to wealthy speculator, his move to New York, and his role as the financial backer of Every Other Week.

• Fulkerson

  Narrates Dryfoos's background and reveals that Dryfoos is the 'Angel' funding the magazine; also describes his own role in securing the investment.

• Basil March

  Listens to Fulkerson's story about Dryfoos, expresses some skepticism about the arrangement, and is reassured by Fulkerson.

• Conrad Dryfoos

  Mentioned as Dryfoos's son who wanted to study for the ministry but was prevented; he will be the nominal publisher of Every Other Week.

• Christine Dryfoos

  Implied as one of the daughters who pressured Dryfoos to sell the farm and move to New York for social advancement.

• Mela Dryfoos

  Implied as one of the daughters who pressured Dryfoos to sell the farm and move to New York for social advancement.

Key passages

• “So when a fellow came along one day and offered old Dryfoos a cool hundred thousand for his farm, it was all up with Dryfoos. He’d ’a’ liked to ’a’ kept the offer to himself and not done anything about it, but his vanity wouldn’t let him do that; and when he let it out in his family the girls outvoted him. They just made him sell.”

  When someone offered Dryfoos $100,000 for his farm, he wanted to keep it secret, but his vanity made him tell his family, and his daughters insisted he sell.

  Illustrates family pressure and the beginning of Dryfoos's transformation from farmer to speculator.

• “After a while something happened. That land-agent used to tell Dryfoos to get out to Europe with his money and see life a little, or go and live in Washington, where he could be somebody; but Dryfoos wouldn't, and he kept listening to the talk there, and all of a sudden he caught on.”

  Dryfoos ignored advice to travel or move to Washington, but instead learned from local talk and suddenly grasped how to speculate in real estate.

  Shows Dryfoos's pragmatic and opportunistic nature, leading to his financial success.

• “To spend his money, and get his daughters into the old Knickerbocker society. Maybe he thought they were all the same kind of Dutch.”

  Dryfoos moved to New York to spend his wealth and introduce his daughters to high society, perhaps naively thinking all Dutch-descended families were alike.

  Reveals Dryfoos's social ambitions and his somewhat naive understanding of New York's social hierarchy.

• “I can see that you don’t more than half like the idea of Dryfoos. It ought to give you more confidence in the thing than you ever had. You needn’t be afraid that I talked Dryfoos into the thing for my own advantage.”

  Fulkerson observes March's hesitation about Dryfoos and reassures him that he did not manipulate Dryfoos for personal gain.

  Highlights March's unease with the financial backing and Fulkerson's defensive response.