The Small House at Allington · Chapter
John Eames Does Things Which He Ought Not to Have Done explained
John Eames informs Mrs.
What happens
John Eames informs Mrs. Roper and Amelia of his decision to leave Burton Crescent, leading to emotional confrontations. Amelia, torn between her feelings for Eames and her practical need for a husband, attempts to manipulate both him and Cradell. Mrs. Roper laments the decline of her household's respectability due to the Lupexes and her financial struggles.
Themes in this chapter
Poverty and Economic Pressure
Mrs. Roper's financial desperation and the threat of ruin due to non-paying lodgers highlight the economic precarity of the lower middle class.
Gender Roles and Women's Agency
Amelia's calculated attempts to secure a husband reflect the limited agency and economic dependence of women in Victorian society.
Betrayal and Trust
John's withdrawal from his implied promises to Amelia and the breakdown of trust in the boarding house relationships underscore themes of betrayal.
Characters to notice
- John Eames
Announces his departure from Burton Crescent, struggles with Amelia's emotional manipulation and his own guilt.
- Amelia Roper
Confronts John about his intentions, vacillates between love and strategic maneuvering to secure a husband.
- Mrs. Roper
Expresses despair over her financial troubles, the Lupexes' influence, and the loss of respectability in her boarding house.
- Mr. Cradell
Mentioned as a potential backup for Amelia; owes Mrs. Roper money and is influenced by the Lupexes.
- Miss Spruce
Decides to leave Mrs. Roper's house due to the declining respectability.
Key passages
“To be ever tugging at others for money that they could not pay; to be ever tugged at for money which she could not pay; to desire respectability for its own sake, but to be driven to confess that it was a luxury beyond her means; to put up with disreputable belongings for the sake of lucre, and then not to get the lucre, but be driven to feel that she was ruined by the attempt!”
Mrs. Roper is caught in a cycle of debt and desperation, longing for respectability but forced to tolerate disreputable lodgers for money that never comes, leading to her ruin.
Highlights the theme of poverty and economic pressure.
“She had a heart, and with such power as it gave her, she loved John Eames. But the world had been hard to her; knocking her about hither and thither unmercifully; threatening, as it now threatened, to take from her what few good things she enjoyed. When a girl is so circumstanced she cannot afford to attend to her heart.”
Amelia genuinely loves John but feels compelled by her harsh circumstances to prioritize practical considerations over her emotions.
Illustrates the theme of gender roles and women's agency.