Nobility

Augie is an American and in many ways thinks like an American. In one way, however, he has more of an old European spirit. He's often praising superior people in the language of aristocracy.

He connects Grandma Lausch with "the highest and the best," "with the courts of Europe, the Congress of Vienna, the splendor of family" (3.11). Einhorn he associates with nobility as well, forgiving his bad habits because "for people of some nobility allowances have always been made." If British aristocrats are entitled to piss on the hind wheels of carriages, says Augie, he won't hold Einhorn's quirks against him (5.9). Einhorn likes that Augie will testify to his "true noble and regal greatness" (13.82).

Mrs. Renling, who wants to adopt Augie, compares an educated man with a business to a lord, a real prince (9.4). Augie's friend Mimi Villars shares this view, if more sternly. She values intelligence in men, which she describes (according to Augie) as breathing the difficult air of effort and nobility (11.34).

Augie uses this language as well. He depicts Simon's plan to marry into a wealthy family as his endeavor to make himself a prince in their presence (11.55). When Charlotte, Simon's wife, speaks with frankness, Augie detects "a kind of nobility" (12.13). Later, when Augie is living with Thea in Mexico, he feels "like a king" (14.8).

For Augie, and a few others in his life, terms of nobility are terms of greatness, if not always goodness. Augie wants to be princely himself, but he never figures out what that means for him in the concrete.