Poverty versus Wealth

One of the main themes of this novel centers around poverty versus wealth. As the novel begins, the reader is taken into the luxurious home of the Wintermutes, a doctor, his wife, and young daughter. The child appears to have everything she could ever hope to want. However, as the novel progresses, the reader begins to notice little things about Clara that do not ring true. Finally, it is revealed that Clara’s four siblings died of cholera five years previously and the only reason she did not die as well is because she disobeyed instructions to eat her watercress.

The novel then focuses on Lizzie Rose and Parsefall. These two orphans have also suffered as Clara with the deaths of their parents. Parsefall has also lost a sister, though he refuses to talk about his past with anyone, even Lizzie Rose. These children...