2. 2. Major Themes

     Many plots in The Gilded Age revolve around greed, manifested in its characters’ desire for riches beyond what they need to live comfortably. Dissatisfaction with the riches they do attain results in risky efforts to get more.

     One of its central themes is wealth and corruption, as writers critiqued the era's materialism, capitalism, and political dishonesty. Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner’s The Gilded Age (1873) coined the term for the period itself, satirizing the pursuit of money and influence. Closely tied to this is the impact of industrialization and urbanization, as cities grew and factory life replaced rural traditions. (High 83)

     Another key concern in Gilded Age writing is social class and inequality. Literature from this era frequently contrasts the wealthy elite with the struggles of the working poor, exploring themes of class mobility, labor exploitation, and economic injustice. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), Mark Twain critiques racism and moral hypocrisy, using satire and regional dialects to expose deep-rooted societal injustices.

     Gilded Age authors embraced realism, rejecting romantic idealism in favor of gritty, truthful depictions of life. Writers like Edith Wharton, Frank Norris, and Theodore Dreiser further developed naturalism, portraying individuals as shaped by their environments, social forces, and heredity. (High 83)