The Money-oriented Value in The Man of Property

英语2101张媛媛

In the first novel of The Forsyte Saga -- The Man of Property, the Forsyte family's "ancestral instruction" was the principle of money first, so the protagonist Soames was bound to be influenced by the family value. For Soames, money reigned supreme. In his eyes, his wife was his private property. He took a fancy to her beauty and robbed her with money. However, after that, he did not treat her well. He did not even regard her as a human with life and thoughts, but just regarded her as a plaything for collection. With high social status and complex social connections, Soames was more aware of the benefits and importance of money. When communicating with celebrities of the same class, he was also respected for his excellent ability of financial management, and he also liked and enjoyed this sense of superiority from his heart. In order to preserve the honor of the Forsyte family, he had to make himself wealthier, even at the cost of his love. In the end, it was precisely this money-oriented value that led to the Soames's tragedy.