XXXIX explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Hypocrisy of Victorian Morality

  Ernest's parents dismiss Ellen with only three pounds for her transgression, while Ernest feels compelled to lie to avoid their wrath, highlighting the gap between moral ideals and harsh reality.

• Self-Discovery and Authenticity

  Ernest's impulsive act of giving away his watch and money reflects a nascent moral autonomy, even as he later chooses deception over truth in the domestic sphere.

Characters to notice

• Ernest Pontifex

  Runs after Ellen to give her his possessions and later lies to his parents about losing the watch.

• Ellen

  Dismissed from the Rectory; accepts Ernest's gifts and promises to repay him.

• Theobald Pontifex

  Ernest imagines his father's angry and sarcastic reaction to the truth.

• Christina Pontifex

  Ernest imagines his mother's tearful plea for him to repent.

• Alethea Pontifex

  Mentioned as the aunt who gave Ernest the silver watch before she died.

Key passages

• “Truth might be heroic, but it was not within the range of practical domestic politics.”

  Telling the truth might be admirable in principle, but it was not a viable option in the everyday realities of family life.

  Ernest concludes that honesty is impractical given his parents' likely reaction.

• “The bitter fact remains that if a girl does certain things she must do them at her peril, no matter how young and pretty she is nor to what temptation she has succumbed.”

  The harsh reality is that a young woman who engages in forbidden behavior must face the consequences, regardless of her age, appearance, or the circumstances that led her astray.

  The narrator reflects on the unforgiving social consequences for Ellen.