Trollope:

Father was involved in many financial wrecks and ran to Belgium to avoid creditors. Mother moved briefly
to America and then returned making money as a writer. Trollope took on a job with the post office which
he held for an extended period getting the opportunity to see much of the country and get ideas for
stories. He was briefly involved in a political campaign that went very badly for him but ended up exposing
voter coercion and scandal in his district. In The Way We Live Now we can see the characters take on
aspects of the personalities in his own life quite sharply.
Money
Money is in many ways interrelated with power for Trollope. Melmotte uses it as his source of power over
others and sees money as being able to get him whatever he desires. Roger Carbury finds power in
money as well but slightly differently. While Melmotte overvalues money through his desire for
ostentatious display, Roger Carbury overvalues money by hoarding it, becoming almost miserly. Through
these two characters we see that a desire to spend can be just as dangerous as a desire to hold on to it.
For other characters money represents independence or imprisonment. Winifred Hurtle sees money as a
means to gain freedom and independence and Mrs. Carbury looks to maintain independence and
freedom from creditors by writing novels. Yet for Marie Melmotte money is a burden and keeps her
constantly burdened with suitors. As life and her experiences change her she begins to alter her
perspective into accepting that money equals power for those that have it.
Paul Montague and Felix Carbury present the final comparison. Montague sees money as a good thing to
have if used well but that it is not worth having if it is gained illicitly. Felix Carbury on the other hand does
not care how the money is earned and sees it as a universal good. His crippling gambling problem that
keeps his family in constant debt is for him of no worry as long as he gets to enjoy life.
Power
In The Way We Live Now power is something that comes from many different areas. There is financial
and monetary power. This comes from either having money originally or from making money individually.
There is also power in familial relations. We see a variety of different types of family relationships
displayed in the way we live now, the dissolute son, the obedient daughter, the protective mother, the
father who wishes to provide the best. All of these situations carry with them different familial power
relationships. Love is also used as a form of power however. Felix Carbury uses his feigned love as a
way to attempt to marry Marie Melmotte and gain access to her family money. Roger Carbury uses his
love and position in an attempt to bring Hetta Carbury into a relationship with him even though her love
lies with Paul. For Paul his lustful love and youthful actions of passion get him into trouble through
Winifred Hurtle. Even Mrs. Carbury uses flirtation with reviewers and publishing industry upper crust to
gain positive reviews for her works.
Love
In the way we live now love is made into a tool more than anything else. In the novel love (whether it be
familial or amorous) is used as a means of controlling other people in that persons life. There are also
examples of true love however. There is the young passionate love between Paul and Hetty and the more
steadfast and dependency that is seen in the marriage of Mrs Carbury and Mr Broune.
Women
Women play a very interesting role in this novel. They are at once seen as innocent and needing of
protection but also prove themselves to be just as quick witted and fortune seeking as the men in the
story. Throughout the story the women are seen to go through many trials and tribulations but they are
also seen to hold their own and in many cases rescue themselves from their dire situations. Mrs. Carbury
writes to provide for herself and her children. Winifred Hurtle dictates and controls everything that
happens in Pauls life for a considerable period. Hetta is finally able to get what she wants after a lengthy
turn of striving with the authority figures in her life. Marie gains financial autonomy from her father through
her trust fund and is able to create a life after the fall of her fathers financial scheme.

Perspective on America
The perspective that Trollope has towards America is quite interesting. He sees America simultaneously
as a place of dashed dreams as well as dishonesty. The mindgames that Winifred plays with Montague
create an air of a power struggle and desire for subtle dominance that comes out of the Americas. There
is also a concept of best laid plans coming to naught as demonstrated through the get rich quick scheme
turned failure of Melmotte.
Nevertheless a certain class of dishonesty, dishonesty magnificent in its proportions, and climbing into
high places, has become at the same time so rampant and so splendid that there seems to be reason for
fearing that men and women will be taught to feel that dishonesty, if it can become splendid, will cease to
be abominable.