An Analysis of Values of Vanity in Vanity Fair

These days, I’ve read a book named Vanity Fair and learned a lot from it. In essence, vanity itself is neither right nor wrong. However, when we are motivated by our desires, we are likely to keep some problems in perspective. In the beginning, we set the wrong goals which we actually don’t like and choose the wrong way which are against our wills. That is because we don’t have a good understanding of ourselves and we don’t know what we do want. As far as I’m concerned, we should not attach too much importance to vanity and sort of thing. Moreover, in a pursuit of them, we should stick to two principles: one is to make ourselves happy and the other to spare others’ feelings. In this book, Rebecca impresses me most, who is typical of being addicted to pursuing vanity. Unlike Amelia, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, Rebecca is a poor orphan of an artist and a French opera girl. In Miss Pinkerton’s academy for young ladies, Rebecca, an articled pupil, is looked down upon, insulted and bullied. In order to avoid that, she stops at nothing in an attempt to marry into the high society. When in Amelia’s home, she spares no efforts to chase after Joseph, Amelia’s old brother that is wealthy and has a high social status. Nevertheless, it doesn’t work out quite well. After her departure from Amelia, she serves as a private teacher in Sir Pitt’s house. She makes every means to flatter Old and Young Pitt again and soon is appreciated and liked by them .Meanwhile Rebecca meets Miss Crawley, Old Pitt’s unmarried half-sister, who has inherited her mother’s big fortune .She also does whatever she can to entertain and please Miss Crawley Old Pitt proposes to Rebecca shortly after his wife passes away. Unexpectedly, she marries to his second son, Rawdon in private. Before that, Miss Crawley has intent to leave most of her inheritance to Rawdon after her death, but their marriage annoys her and they lose favor with her so that Rawdon is no longer her heir to the money.