Alice Thickett of Tapton School
In the modern world, so reliant on instant updates condensed into ‘tweets’ or texts, the idea of reading an 800-page Victorian satire perhaps appears to many as faintly archaic.
Category: Book review
Book review of Vanity Fair by W.M. Thackeray
Alice Thickett age 18
Tapton School
Yet W.M. Thackeray's Vanity Fair concerns itself with the importance of appearances, which is still a major preoccupation for many of the self-publicising Facebook generation. The irrepressible heroine Becky Sharp may not send invitations online to her notorious parties, but she manages society's perceptions of herself as acutely as any teenager deliberates over which photo to set as a profile picture, perhaps more so; Becky is highly discriminatory of which aspects of her personality are visible, a skill that the anonymity of the internet may be eroding.
Her life revolves around crafting a reputation for herself from her lowly beginnings by any means possible - had Twitter been available to Becky, I have no doubt she would have an account.
As an orphan of poor, bohemian parents, Becky is distinguished from other Victorian heroines by her independence and her willingness to use her sexuality to aid her social climb. She quickly realises that the appearance of wealth can have the same effect as a fortune; riches open doors in a superficial society.
Citizens of Vanity Fair are not concerned with truth, merely with image, perhaps in the same way that we devour dubious gossip in celebrity magazines. In the absence of a publicist, Becky must manage her own reputation, which she does expertly. With the versatility of a seasoned actress the ‘famous little Becky Puppet' flits between multiple roles through artful dress and deftly tuned mannerisms. Such continual change adds flavour to domestic and public scenes alike and is further enhanced by subtle shifts in perspective, as Thackeray's narrator also inhabits several personae throughout the novel.
This resourcefulness, coupled with a quick wit and abundant charm, creates an allure that renders Becky's individual brand of acute immorality highly attractive. The reckless abandon with which she throws herself into her pursuit of men and money is delightful to read and the pleasure of reading overpowers condemnation.
Through such characters we can live vicariously, enjoying the thrill of wickedness, from which we are prevented by the confines of polite society, at a safe distance. However, if we accept Thackeray's portrayal of polite society as accurate, perhaps it is not a group we would wish to belong to.
