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Chapter 13
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in What Maisie Knew, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Innocence and Corruption
Money and Society
Hypocrisy
Perspective and Understanding
Summary
Analysis
Since Maisie last saw her, Mrs. Beale has become a fashionable society lady. Maisie’s awe is shared by Sir Claude. Their discussion turns to Mrs. Wix’s visit, and Maisie reveals to Sir Claude how upset her governess was. Mrs. Beale reveals that Mrs. Wix asked her to “spare” Sir Claude, which she has no intention of doing. Indeed, Sir Claude assures Maisie he will visit often. Beale is less of an obstacle to visits than Ida was. He is mostly absent and is happy to think that Ida’s second marriage is unhappy too. Maisie asks who will teach her now, and Mrs. Beale explains that they will take her to lectures, much to Maisie’s excitement. She still worries about Mrs. Wix, but Sir Claude promises to take care of her.
Mrs. Beale’s transformation from governess to society lady suggests that she, too, might have motivations other than love—by marrying Beale, she has been able to rapidly ascend the social latter and join an elite social world. Unfortunately, however, Beale can only give her a taste of wealth, but Sir Claude is actually rich, which may be part of why she pursues an affair with him. Mrs. Wix at least believes this theory, leading her to see Mrs. Beale as a malicious force corrupting Sir Claude despite the fact that he is also pursuing the affair. Beale’s constant absence proves more conducive to Maisie, Mrs. Beale, and Sir Claude’s habits than Ida’s paranoia, as she and her two stepparents come to form a kind of surrogate family.
Themes
