Previous Next

The son of a wealthy, snobbish banker, George has been spoiled throughout life and becomes a selfish, feckless young man whose every action is predicated on how it reflects on himself. For instance, George doesn’t marry Amelia out of love but because he loves the way she makes him feel about himself. Given the shallowness of George’s connection to Amelia, it is no wonder that he flirts so seriously with Becky and even—as readers learn at the end of the novel—proposes to leave his bride for her. One of George’s defining traits is his vanity. He spends an inordinate amount of time admiring and improving his appearance. As part of his vanity, George also longs to be a true gentleman—a nobleman—but he loses that chance with his impulsive marriage to Amelia. All George can do is aspire to behave in the manner he thinks befits a gentleman, which includes spending money in ways he can’t afford.

Previous section William Dobbin Next section Rawdon Crawley

Take a Study Break