The Magnificent Ambersons · Chapter
XXXI explained
The Amberson estate is settled and found to be worthless.
What happens
The Amberson estate is settled and found to be worthless. George Amberson bitterly notes that his father never deeded Isabel's house to her, and that Sydney and Amelia refused to help. George Minafer accepts a lowly clerk position at Frank Bronson's office for eight dollars a week. His uncle borrows two hundred dollars from him to travel to a consulship. Fanny arranges for them to move into a small apartment with other elderly widows, but George considers living in the office instead. On his last walk home, he sees the decay of the Amberson Addition and the mansion, and is mocked by strangers. He reflects on his isolation and the collapse of his inherited expectations.
Themes in this chapter
Decline of Aristocracy
The Amberson estate vanishes completely, the mansion falls into disrepair, and the family is reduced to menial jobs and cramped apartments.
Pride and Arrogance
George refuses Eugene's help and cannot appeal to his college friends, clinging to a sense of superiority despite his fall.
Illusion of Permanence
The removal of the Amberson Addition pillars and the decaying fountain symbolize the fleeting nature of wealth and status.
Materialism and Social Climbing
Fanny's desire to live among 'people who know who we are' highlights the social-climbing mentality even in reduced circumstances.
Characters to notice
- George Amberson Minafer
Accepts his reduced circumstances, takes a clerk job at eight dollars a week, and plans to avoid living with Fanny in a cramped apartment.
- Fanny Minafer
Nervously arranges their move to a kitchenette apartment, breaks dishes while cooking, and looks forward to bridge games with other elderly widows.
- George Amberson
Bitterly criticizes Sydney and Amelia for refusing to help, borrows two hundred dollars from his nephew, and departs for a consulship.
- Isabel Amberson
Her house was never deeded to her by the Major, leading to its loss; her furniture sale provides George with six hundred dollars.
- Major Amberson
His failure to deed the house to Isabel is a key cause of the family's financial collapse.
- Sydney Amberson
Refuses to help the family, taking the only good part of the estate.
- Amelia Amberson
Writes a refusal letter partly in Italian, declining to assist.
- Eugene Morgan
Offered help but is refused by the family due to pride.
Key passages
“when the great Amberson Estate went into court for settlement, 'there wasn't any,' George Amberson said”
George Amberson declared that after the legal settlement, the Amberson estate had no value left.
Summarizes the complete financial collapse of the family.
“George's 'little tiny bit' was six hundred dollars which had come to him from the sale of his mother's furniture; and the 'little tiny salary' was eight dollars a week which old Frank Bronson was to pay him”
George's only assets were six hundred dollars from selling his mother's furniture and a weekly wage of eight dollars from Frank Bronson.
Highlights George's reduced financial state.
“I don't know who he is, but from his looks I know who he thinks he is: he thinks he's the Grand Duke Cuthbert!”
A young man mocks George's proud demeanor, suggesting he acts like royalty.
Illustrates public perception of George's arrogance despite his fall.
“Of all the 'ideals of life' which the world, in its rolling, inconsiderately flattens out to nothingness, the least likely to retain a profile is that ideal which depends upon inheriting money.”
The narrator observes that relying on inherited wealth is the most fragile of life's ideals, easily crushed by reality.
Thematic reflection on the illusion of financial permanence.
