Podsnappery And The Veneerings In ?Our Mutual Friend? Essay, Research Paper

`Quotations. 1)???????? ? Mr and Mrs

Veneering were bran-new people in a bran-new house in a bran-new quarter of

London.? Everything about the Veneerings

was spick and span new?the surface smelt a little too much of the workshop and

was a trifle stickey.?(P.48) ??????????? The

nouveau-riche class in London are epitomised by the Veneering household.? Dickens shows his own perception of this new

class springing up within the city with his less than favourable descriptions

of the Veneerings. In this introductory passage, Dickens clearly shows that in

order to attempt to fit in with the society with which they now associated, the

Veneerings had brought a lot of flashy, showy, ?bran-new? furniture, and their

whole lives revolve around putting on an act for the rest of the world that is

only just a veneer.? As the name

suggests, the Veneerings are shallow, hollow people who use the acquired riches

to cover over all their own shortcomings.2)???????? ?There is

excitement in the Veneering mansion?in order that tomorrow?s feast may be

crowned with flowers.?(P.159) ??????????? The

Veneerings are clearly intending to enhance their position in society by this

gesture.? Their extreme generosity in

laying on the wedding for two of their acquaintances does not come out of

kindness, but out of their wish to show those around them how wealthy they

are.? The outcome of the wedding also

shows that Veneering is not the most astute of characters as he fails to

recognise that both Alfred and Sophroniaan have deceived him as regards to

their financial situations.? The whole

picture of Veneering laying on a large wedding for two almost strangers simply

adds to the impression of Veneering being a shallow character only concerned with

advancing his own situation by means of showing himself to be a rich aristocrat

with money to burn.3)???????? ?Mr Podsnap

was well to do and stood very highly in Mr Podsnap?s opinion?and he felt

conscious that he set a brilliant social example in being particularly well

satisfied with most things, and, above all other things, with himself? (P.174) ??????????? This

opening few lines of the chapter entitled ?Podsnappery? give us as readers a

particularly good insight into the person of Mr Podsnap. Throughout the story

he is the object of Dickens? distain.?

He thinks himself to be better than all of those around him.? He enjoys being in society, but only in

order to bring himself into the limelight, show off his wealth and further

advance his own position as a wealthy, well to do gentleman.? He uses people simply in order to enhance

his own ego and make him feel better about himself.? He is pompous, arrogant and full of self-importance.? This is the type of character Dickens?

attempts to portray as a typical upper class gentleman. The passage continues

showing Podsnap?s reluctance to deal with difficult problems, his dislike for

foreigners, his regular existence moving from day to day in a set pattern

(?getting up at eight, shaving close to quarter past, breakfasting at nine,

going to the City at ten, coming home at half-past five, and dining at seven.?)

and his unwillingness to look outside of his own existence, shows what a

shallow, meaningless existence he leads and how blissfully unaware of this fact

he is.4)???????? ?These may

be said to be the articles of faith and school which the present chapter takes

the liberty of calling, after its representative man, Podsnappery?and they were

enunciated with a sounding pomp that smacked the creaking of Mr Podsnap?s own

boots.?(P.175) ??????????? It is clear

through this quotation that Dickens realises that the stereotype to which he

refers in Mr. Podsnap is not simply confined to few and far between, but in his

description of Podsnap, Dickens refers to a class of people, and is making a

profound statement about the lives they lead.?

His profound criticism of their existence is the lack of meaning in it;

he thinks them pompous, conceited and totally self-orientated, obsessed by

position and power.5)???????? ?The

majority of the guests were like the plate, and included several heavy articles

weighing ever so much.? (P.177) ??????????? Showing the

indulgence of the rich society, and the desire to show off what they have.6)???????? ?But there

was a foreign Gentleman among them?which one would seek in vain among the

Nations of the Earth.?(P.179-181) ??????????? Podsnap

here shows his profound belief that he is superior to everybody else in every

way despite evidence to the contrary.?

His broad and sweeping statements are based on no evidence except his

own convictions, and by treating the Frenchman as inferior to himself he shows his

belief that the English and particularly himself are better than all foreigners

no matter who they are.? His beliefs,

although sincere, are wholly unfounded and his pretence at superior

intelligence is no more than that.? He

shows himself in this passage to be conceited, arrogant, full of

self-importance, ill educated and irrational.7)???????? ?Britannia,

sitting meditating one fine day?but he says he will give Veneering four hours.?

(P.295) ??????????? This

passage shows Dickens? illustration of the corruption both within parliament

and within the upper classes at time.8)???????? ?Veneering

then says to Mrs. Veneering, ?We must work,?? I am not strong enough to bear

him.? (P.295-306) ??????????? This

passage is concerned with Veneering becoming an M.P.? Although he is offered the job on a plate through bribery, he

insists upon rushing around asking his ?friends? to gather round him. This

although it is wholly unnecessary gives the appearance of him doing something

that he considers ?work?.? It is clear

that Veneering has never really ?worked? and has led a life of luxury.? He is also unintelligent, as he has been

given the job anyway via the bribe, the day spent rushing to see his friends is

quite unnecessary. However, it does serve the purpose of enhancing Veneerings?

position in society by announcing his newly acquired position to all in

society.9)???????? ?Now I shall

be plain with you, Veneering,?Then I?ll work for you.? (P.299) ??????????? Podsnap

shows just how superior he considers himself to be by his insistence that he

would be in parliament if he chose to be so.?

It appears that he has to be one better than anybody else who succeeds

in order to keep his ego at its current over-inflated level. His unashamed

belief that he is superior to Veneering in every way is shown by his attitude

towards Veneering?s request and his condescending attitude to his ?friend?

shows his apparent disregard for everything outside of himself.10)?????? ?Veneering,

M.P.,?the vanished person has been spirited away or otherwise harmed.? (P.472) ??????????? This

extract shows that already Veneering is beginning to put on the airs and graces

of a M.P. when it is quite unnecessary to do so.? He is using his position to advance his respectability and

position in society so that he can feel superior to all those around him.11)?????? ?But, nobody

is half so much surprised as Hamilton Veneering, Esquire, M.P?.a wondering

dinner? (P.683) ??????????? As soon as

the Lammles lose their ?money? and respectability through their position in

society, they are instantly disregarded as friends or acquaintances; the whole

of society deems them to be outcast from their previous place among them.? This is the fickle nature of the Veneerings,

the Podsnaps and al of their closest contacts that they will not accept anybody

as a friend who lacks money, power or position.? Their friends therefore are not really friends but objects for

selfish goals.? Veneering is particular

surrounds himself with the rich and powerful for his own self-aggrandisement.12)?????? ?I, Podsnap

casually remark elsewhere that I dined last Monday with a gorgeous caravan of

camels.? (P.684) ??????????? Podsnap

seizes an opportunity here to enhance his own position in society through

telling others about his rich and important connections with which he dined

last Monday.13)?????? ?Veneering

pervades the legislative lobbies?bran-new faces overnight.? (P.683) ??????????? Veneering

is intent on showing his friends and acquaintances his newfound importance by

bringing other M.Ps to dine with him.?

This is yet another attempt by Veneering to display his new powerful

position in society.14)?????? ?The

Veneerings have been, as usual, indefatigably dealing dinner cards to society.?

(P.886) ??????????? The

Veneerings deal out diner cards on a regular basis to give the impression that

they have a huge fortune and can afford to give large, lavish diner parties,

and thereby enhance their own position in society, as the more money one

appears to have, the more influential one is!15)?????? ?Yes?and in a

perfectly private and confidential manner.??

(P.887) ??????????? The

Veneerings through lavish expenditure and desire for importance and influence

in society have over expended and lived beyond their means.? In their desire for acceptance they lost

their money and through the fickle nature of their importance they have lost

all friends and acquaintances once their money has gone.? This shows the total lack of real friendship

within the upper-class society epitomised by the Veneerings and the

Podsnaps.? When Veneering loses his

money, society rejects Veneering as does parliament, and all that Veneering had

worked for has gone along with his money.????????????