Amaryllis at the Fair · Chapter
XXII explained
The Iden family faces relentless harassment from creditors.
What happens
The Iden family faces relentless harassment from creditors. Iden's credit is exhausted in town, forcing them to deal with rude village tradesmen who demand payment. A bailiff stays in their home, prompting Iden to temporarily transform his appearance and seek funds, but he fails. Amaryllis, disturbed in her garret, defends her mother from an aggressive baker. The chapter highlights the family's financial desperation and social humiliation.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Money
The Idens' fall from gentility is starkly shown through Cobb's fawning treatment of a rich lady versus his rudeness to a poor woman, and Iden's inability to pay even small debts.
Family Conflict and Misunderstanding
Mrs. Iden reproaches Iden for his inaction; Amaryllis cannot understand her father's passive endurance, reflecting generational and temperamental friction.
Characters to notice
- Amaryllis Iden
Distracted from her drawing by creditors; passionately defends her mother from the baker.
- Mr. Iden
Passively endures creditor harassment; briefly attempts to raise money but fails; shows a rare glimpse of his former gentlemanly appearance.
- Mrs. Iden
Makes excuses to creditors; becomes hysterical before the bailiff's arrival; endures the baker's rudeness.
- Mr. Cobb
The butcher who chiveys Iden for money but refuses credit; displays obsequiousness to a rich lady while being curt with a poor woman.
Key passages
““Yes, m’m—oh, yes, m’m, certainly, m’m,” bows, and scrapes, and washing of hands, all the obsequiousness possible. When the fine lady had gone, “Lar, Mr. Cobb,” says the poor woman, “how different you do speak to they to what you do speak to me .” “Oh, yes,” replied Cobb, not in the least abashed at having one manner for the poor and another for the rich. “Yes, you see, these ladies they require such a deal of homage .””
Cobb fawns over a wealthy female customer with excessive deference, then unapologetically admits to a poor woman that he treats rich people differently because they expect homage.
Illustrates the theme of social class and money through blatant class-based treatment.
“Amaryllis tore downstairs, flushed with passion. “How dare you say such a thing? How dare you insult my mother? Leave the house this moment!” And with both hands she literally pushed the man, unwilling, but not absolutely resisting, outside, grumbling as he moved that he never insulted nobody, only asked for his money.”
Amaryllis, enraged by the baker's accusation of cheating, physically pushes him out of the house after he insults her mother.
Shows Amaryllis's fierce protectiveness and the emotional toll of the family's debt.