The Education of Henry Adams · Chapter
The Press (1868) explained
Henry Adams returns to Boston in 1868 after his time in London, only to find himself adrift in a society that offers no clear path for his education or ambitions.
What happens
Henry Adams returns to Boston in 1868 after his time in London, only to find himself adrift in a society that offers no clear path for his education or ambitions. He struggles to find a place in the labor market, considers journalism, and ultimately moves to Washington, D.C., where he receives support from William M. Evarts and begins to navigate the political and social landscape of the capital.
Themes in this chapter
Education and Self-Formation
Adams reflects on his lack of practical education and the need to re-educate himself for a new environment in Washington.
Social Class and Identity
Adams feels alienated from Boston society, which values business and wealth over his kind of education and experience.
The Failure of Leadership
Adams observes the decline of figures like Seward and the self-assured but limited leadership of Andrew Johnson.
Characters to notice
- Henry Adams
Returns to Boston at age thirty, feeling lost and out of place, and decides to pursue journalism in Washington.
- Charles Francis Adams
Henry's brother, who after three years of civil life is no better off than Henry, except for being married.
- Edward Atkinson
The only person in Boston who offered Henry a word of encouragement or showed acquaintance with his doings.
- William H. Seward
Still Secretary of State in 1868, appearing aged and resigned, but still kindly and free in talk.
- Andrew Johnson
President Johnson, whom Henry meets briefly; Henry finds him self-assured but unremarkable.
- Whitelaw Reid
Had already taken the position at the Tribune, which Henry considered but rejected.
- Edwin Lawrence Godkin
Henry considers working with Godkin at the Nation and Evening Post as a possible path.
- William M. Evarts
Attorney General who generously takes Henry to Washington and provides him with shelter and support.
Key passages
“The young man was required to impose himself, by the usual business methods, as a necessity on his elders, in order to compel them to buy him as an investment.”
A young man had to aggressively market himself to older employers, forcing them to see him as a necessary investment.
Adams describes the harsh reality of the labor market for educated youth in Boston.
“At thirty years old, the man who has not yet got further than to study the situation, is lost, or near it.”
By age thirty, a man who is still just analyzing his circumstances is already doomed or close to it.
Adams expresses his anxiety about being stuck in a state of indecision and observation.
“The Southerner could not doubt; and this self-assurance not only gave Andrew Johnson the look of a true President, but actually made him one.”
The Southerner's unshakeable confidence made Andrew Johnson appear presidential and, in a sense, truly filled the role.
Adams reflects on the power of moral certainty in shaping political authority.
