# LIX explained — Lavengro

> Chapter companion for Lavengro by George Borrow.

## What happens

The narrator leaves London on foot, reflecting on his time in the city with a sense of gratitude for having preserved his independence. He accepts a ride on a mail coach, pays a high fare despite his limited funds, and is eventually dropped off in an unfamiliar town at dawn.

## Themes in this chapter

### Adventure and Roving

The narrator's departure from London and impulsive decision to board a coach heading to an unknown place embody a spirit of wandering and adventure.

### Social Class and Gentility

The coachman's refusal to let the narrator sit on the box, reserved for 'lords or gentlemen at least,' highlights class distinctions and the narrator's ambiguous social standing.

## Character check-ins

### Lavengro

Leaves London on foot, meditates on his struggles and independence, then rides a mail coach to an unknown destination.

## Key lines

> I had worked and toiled, and, though I had accomplished nothing at all commensurate with the hopes which I had entertained previous to my arrival, I had achieved my own living, preserved my independence, and become indebted to no one.

Despite not fulfilling his grand expectations, the narrator has supported himself, remained free, and owes nothing to anyone.

_Reflects the narrator's sense of modest accomplishment and self-reliance upon leaving London._

> The box a’n’t for the like of you; the box is for lords, or gentlemen at least.

The coachman tells the narrator he cannot sit on the box seat, which is reserved for aristocrats or gentlemen.

_Illustrates the rigid class hierarchy and the coachman's disdain for the narrator's perceived low status._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se/chapters/lix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se/chapters