The major theme that has been seen throughout the book is MONEY. Money is the determining factor for everything within this world both  present and past. Although money itself is an insignificant element within the world, it becomes significant when humanity or the leaders of our government puts a price value on it and when others also agree with that value. Money then becomes a part of society but also a part of the interactions between individuals. As the people around can reflect the kind of person you are, money can also be used as a tool of reflection. Acceptance of tainted money from an individual who is a criminal reflects badly on you as an individual, it shows others that you have no morals and that you do not know the difference between right and wrong. The most important point that it shows is that you can be bought with money, a person that can be bought is an insincere and untrustworthy person to be around.

Lydgate: Bulstrode loaning money to Lydgate is a great example of the consequences that follow individuals who take money from an untrustworthy person. I understand that Lydgate did not know outright that Bulstrode “killed” Raffles however he did come to the deduction that Bulstrode had a hand in the death of Raffles. Lydgate taking the loan that Bulstrode was not willing to give him in the beginning shows to Bulstrode and the community that he will not speak up about the wrong Bulstrode committed.

Lydgate was already on a tightrope when it came to the community, most of the community never fully accepted him because of his partnership with Bulstrode, along with his medical practice. Him turning a blinded eye for Bulstrode is the last straw for the community, they want someone that they can trust. Looking deeper into understanding why Lydgate ignore the suggestion of Bulstrode “killing” Raffles we see his desperation. Lydgate had a huge debt that  he could not pay off by himself because of the lack of money management, his business and his wife spending money like it is water. At the end of the day, he was trying to provide for his family and desperation sometimes make people do something they would never have done otherwise.

The role between husband and wife in this book is very important to analyze. There is no separation between husband and wife, wives are indirectly connected to their husbands. The success of a husband equals the success of a wife, throughout the book the wives were always the last to know anything about what their husbands did. Harriet Bulstrode was the last to know about the secret her husband was hiding from her. For this, I do not understand why the husband feel as though they need to hide things from their wives. Is it a manly feeling that they need to protect their wives from unsavory situations? If this is the excuse, I cannot agree at the end of the day their wives will still experience unknown complications due to their husband’s actions.

Keulesia Webley-Sewell