O Pioneers! Society and Class Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #10

Alexandra felt that he would like to know there had been a man of his kin whom he could admire. She knew that Emil was ashamed of Lou and Oscar, because they were bigoted and self-satisfied. He never said much about them, but she could feel his disgust. His brothers had shown their disapproval of him ever since he first went away to school. The only thing that would have satisfied them would have been his failure at the University. As it was, they resented every change in his speech, in his dress, in his point of view; though the latter they had to conjecture, for Emil avoided talking to them about any but family matters. All his interests they treated as affectations. (4.3.11)

The less-than-ideal relations between the Bergson children all seem to come down to problems of class and social mobility. Lou and Oscar resent Alexandra's success, especially because they think they, as the Men of the Family, should be in charge. Meanwhile, Alexandra is far more concerned with getting Emil a chance to go to the university and gain access to the educated elite, which makes Lou and Oscar resent her and Emil all the more.