“Vanity Fair” summary

I thought one thread that listed all the discussion topics for the book would be helpful, as well as providing a central place for people to comment on the book as we move on to something else. Feel free to comment as you can!

Chapters 1 – 10
Chapters 11 – 20
Chapters 21 – 29
Chapters 30 – 38
Chapters 39 – 42
Chapters 43 – 51
Chapters 52 – 59
Chapters 60 – 67
Book vs. movie


Source of the term “Vanity Fair”
Illustrations for Vanity Fair
Character names
Becky Sharp
Reminded of other works?
Update: The Morality of Vanity Fair: It’s All About You article by Rohan Maitzen.

Vanity Fair: the movie

A thread for discussing the movie Vanity Fair. Feel free to comment on the movie if you haven’t read the book. Compare, contrast, deconstruct, or just say thumbs up or down. If you’ve read the book, how did you like the changes/additions/omissions?

You can also visit the Vanity Fair movie website which has a lot of things to see.

I will post another ‘round-up’ thread for Vanity Fair soon that provides links to all the posts and can serve as a final discussion area as we move on to other works.

Vanity Fair Discussion: Chapters 60 – 67

We reach the end of the book, and the end of many characters. While many resolutions are happy, not everything may be satisfying. Post your thoughts on these chapters in the comments.

I’ll have a general Vanity Fair post soon that provides links to the previous posts, which I hope will be the place for posts on the book after we have moved on to something else. Next week I'll post some thoughts on the recent movie version--even if you didn't read the book, I'll encourage your thoughts on the movie.

Vanity Fair Discussion: Chapters 52 – 59

Much happens in these chapters. From Lord Steyne, Rawdon and Becky’s unplanned meeting to Jos and Dobbin returning home, much is resolved here. Leave a comment on what you think about Thackeray’s settlement on many of these issues.

We’re approaching the end here, for better or worse. I’ll set up a thread at the end for those that want to post a comment but aren’t sure which thread to post about it. I’ve continued the monologue in the comments.

Vanity Fair discussion: Chapters 43 – 51

I’m changing the schedule one more time (see sidebar for update), adding another week. Things have been hectic for me with the new baby, plus this chapter makes a good place to end one discussion and start the next.

So in this stretch we see diverse locations (from India to the court of George IV) and diverse destinies playing out. The comment section is yours to praise or vilify anything about the book!

Vanity Fair discussion: Chapters 39 – 42

I must have goofed in only having 4 chapters listed for this week. But I’ll go with the schedule as listed—not like anyone will care. Post-Waterloo, we follow the fortunes (or lack thereof) of the many families. Add your comments on what you like or dislike about the book so far.

Reminded of other works?

Have you thought of other books while reading Vanity Fair? It is very rich in allusions and references, but the period of time and subjects it covers reminds me of several other works.

Stendhal’s The Charterhouse of Parma: While I was a little underwhelmed with the overall book, the Waterloo scene was fairly funny as the main character (Fabrizio de Dongo) sleepwalks through the day. I’m sure his experience as painted in the book, not understanding what was going on or where it was happening, was a pretty common occurrence during battles of the time. Thackeray's characters receiving misleading information on the battles highlighted the confusion.

Last year I read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Very well done but I didn’t enjoy it that much. I’m not into the fantasy/fantastical genre, but was willing to try it based on friends’ recommendations. One part I did enjoy was Jonathan Strange employed by the British to use his magic in thwarting Napoleon. Waterloo plays one of several key points where Strange helps defeat Napoleon.

I know there are plenty more books out there that touch on or revolve around that famous battle—Patrick O’Brian’s The Hundred Days and Hugo’s Les Misérables for example, neither of which I’ve read. Tolstoy included a lot of material on Napoleon’s march into and retreat from Russia.

Several times in Vanity Fair, Thackeray references the characters seeing the English actor Edmund Kean. It reminded me of the Jean-Paul Sartre play Kean that I saw several years ago and enjoyed, despite its flaws. Based on a play by Dumas, Sartre throws in quite a bit of existential philosophy (surprise), but the play holds up despite it. A meaty role for any actor, I was fortunate to see perfect casting for the title character. Focusing on illusion, reality, and the role of art in the world, it is an extremely entertaining play.

So is there anything you’ve read or seen that you thought of while reading Vanity Fair?

Vanity Fair discussion: Chapters 30 – 38

Where we follow the non-heroes and the rest of England to the Continent to face Napoleon and see the aftereffects of Waterloo. Post your thoughts, favorite parts, characters you hate, etc. in the comments!

Becky Sharp

So as you're reading through the book, do you find your attitude toward Becky changing? Do you like her more, less, or the same? Just curious as to your reactions toward her...

Vanity Fair discussion: Chapters 21 - 29

In which we follow our (non-)heroes through family changes and the prelude to Waterloo. Post your thoughts in the comments!

Character names

Can we just talk about the character names?

Some of my favorites:

The law firm of Hulker, Bullock and Bullock
Mrs. Rougemont, the actress
Sir Huddleston Fuddleston
Sir Giles Wapshot and the Misses Wapshot

Most of them are not very subtle, which I appreciate. Even "Miss Sharp" is a very telling name.

Vanity Fair discussion: Chapters 11 – 20

The travails of Becky Sharpe and Amelia Sedley continue, with the threat of Napoleon on the horizon. Use the comments to add your thoughts on Vanity Fair through Chapter 20 (no spoilers from beyond that chapter, please).

Thanks for the comments and interest shown so far!

Chapters 11 – 20: discussion topics

In the comments I post some topics I find interesting in Chapters 11 through 20. I’m avoiding spoilers, so feel free to read the comments as you get to these chapters. Add comments with topics you find interesting. I hope this helps spur some discussion!

Illustrations for Vanity Fair

Thackeray illustrated Vanity Fair, and as I look through some of the drawings I realize they add quite a bit to the novel. So here are the illustrations I could find in one easy place. Or make that four easy places:

Chapters 1 through 15

Chapters 16 through 34

Chapters 35 through 51

Chapters 52 through 67

Source of the term Vanity Fair

The Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan

{215} Then I saw in my dream, that when they were got out of the wilderness, they presently saw a town before them, and the name of that town is Vanity; and at the town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair: it is kept all the year long. It beareth the name of Vanity Fair because the town where it is kept is lighter than vanity; and, also because all that is there sold, or that cometh thither, is vanity. As is the saying of the wise, "all that cometh is vanity." [Eccl. 1; 2:11,17; 11:8; Isa. 11:17]

{216} This fair is no new-erected business, but a thing of ancient standing; I will show you the original of it.

Almost five thousand years agone, there were pilgrims walking to the Celestial City, as these two honest persons are: and Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion, with their companions, perceiving by the path that the pilgrims made, that their way to the city lay through this town of Vanity, they contrived here to set up a fair; a fair wherein, should be sold all sorts of vanity, and that it should last all the year long: therefore at this fair are all such merchandise sold, as houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts, as whores, bawds, wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not.

And, moreover, at this fair there is at all times to be seen juggling cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, and rogues, and that of every kind.

Here are to be seen, too, and that for nothing, thefts, murders, adulteries, false swearers, and that of a blood-red colour.