Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature discussions of physical abuse, racism, and suicidal ideation.

The narrator of Vanity Fair introduces himself as the manager of a traveling carnival that he names the “Performance.” They are performing in the “Fair,” which is “not a moral place certainly; nor a merry one, though very noisy” (4). The narrator explains that not everyone is a fan of such shows; not only do they refuse to attend, but they ban their servants and staff from attending. For others, such shows are an enjoyable spectacle. He presents his puppet show to the audience, thanking them for their support. The curtain lifts, and the show begins.

Amelia Sedley and her longtime friend, Becky Sharp, are collected from Miss Barbara Pinkerton’s Chiswick academy in her family carriage after graduating. Amelia plans to marry, and Becky will become a governess. Barbara Pinkerton describes Amelia’s accomplishments in a letter. Each graduate typically receives a copy of Samuel Johnson’s dictionary, but Becky, who is from a poor background and disliked by Jemima Pinkerton, is not given a copy. The kindly Barbara defies Jemima and sneaks a copy to Becky, but as the carriage departs, she throws her dictionary through the window.