Why does the story open by describing Oliver Bacon’s flat, particularly the furniture? What are readers meant to understand from it?

What benefit, or what compulsion, leads Oliver to repeatedly “dismantle himself” and go back in his mind to “being a little boy in a dark alley” (248)?

What is the promise Oliver makes to his mother? What is the “bet” that he has made and claims to have won? What evidence is there in the text to support your claim?

Literary Area of Study

British Literature

Values & Ideas

Challenging Authority

Power

Virginia Woolf

Adult

Short Story

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore The Duchess and the Jeweller and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.