Preview of A Man in Full Summary:

Wolfe's view of American life at the end of the century is that it is materialistic and obsessed with the status that material wealth conveys. Much of the absurdity—the sad and hilarious ways in which Americans think, speak, and act—is tied to this theme.

Wolfe documents the ways in which people dress, dine, and decorate to verify their status. Their dilemmas and decisions turn on status. Charlie Croker knows...