# Showing How George Vavasor Received a Visit explained — Can You Forgive Her?

> Chapter companion for Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope.

## What happens

George Vavasor, having lost his parliamentary election and squandered Alice's money, is left with only five hundred pounds and no prospects. He contemplates suicide and receives a visit from Jane, who offers to stay with him, but he dismisses her. His calm exterior breaks into violent rage as he curses his grandfather for disinheriting him.

## Themes in this chapter

### Wealth and Financial Dependence

George's ruin is complete: he has lost his inheritance, spent Alice's money, and now has only £500 left, with no income or prospects.

### Self-Deception and Moral Growth

George maintains a facade of calm and mockery, but his inner rage and threats of suicide reveal his inability to face his own moral collapse.

## Character check-ins

### George Vavasor

Defeated in election, financially ruined, contemplates suicide, and vents his rage against his dead grandfather.

### Jeannette

Visits George, offers to stay and work for him, but is sent away without money.

### Mr. Scruby

Election agent who abandons George's cause after receiving only part of the demanded funds.

### Calder Jones

Mentioned as having a secure seat; George bantered him after the election.

### Mr. Bott

Mentioned as having been rejected earlier; George wrote him a mocking note of consolation.

## Key lines

> He had received two thousand pounds from the bills which Alice had executed on his behalf—or rather, had received the full value of three out of the four bills, and a part of the value of the fourth, on which he had been driven to raise what immediate money he had wanted by means of a Jew bill-discounter.

George obtained £2,000 from the promissory notes Alice signed for him, but only fully cashed three of the four notes; for the fourth, he had to use a Jewish discount broker to get partial funds.

_Details George's financial exploitation of Alice and his desperate measures to raise cash._

> He had lost his inheritance. He had abandoned one profession after another, and was now beyond the pale of another chance in that direction. His ambition had betrayed him, and there were no longer possible to him any hopes of political activity.

George has forfeited his family estate, failed at every career, and his political ambitions are dead, leaving him with no future.

_Summarizes George's complete downfall in all aspects of his life._

> Curse him! he said out loud. Curse him, now and forever! He had broken down in his calmness, when he thought of that old man who had opposed him during his life, and had ruined him at his death.

George's composed demeanor shatters as he curses his grandfather, whom he blames for opposing him in life and disinheriting him in death.

_Reveals George's true rage and the source of his bitterness._

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