AP Lit Blog 3rd Marking Period

William Theune

Mr. Klimas

AP Literature

9th April 2014

Physical Journey Essay

In the novel The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, the physical journey traversed by the main character, Jack Worthing, contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. The author uses the journey along with the other elements of the novel to create a satirical commentary of the superficial nature of society during the time period.

One of the main portions of the journey is the contrasting of urban life and rural life during the Victorian Age. Jack, as he is called in the country, uses a fake brother named Earnest, as an excuse to travel to the city. On several occasions Jack’s “brother Earnest” gets into trouble, and Jack must head out to the city where his brother lives. Once in the city, Jack assumes the name of Ernest and is free to do as he pleases; without the worry of his societal responsibilities and standards that must be met when he uses his real identity. This back and forth transition from Jack to Earnest, Rural to Urban all for the sake of letting loose, shows the significance of outward appearance during this time and gives light to the shallowness of society the author wishes to portray.

In conjunction with the parallel between Jack and Earnest, comes the ironic arrival of Mr. Algernon Moncrieff. Algernon, similar to Jack, uses an imaginary friend called “Bunberry” to in the same fashion, escape to the country. The two characters can be thought of as a foil in this manner as while one lives in the country, escaping to the city, the other lives in the city, escaping to the country. Algernon uses his Bunberry character to leave and be free of the same social oppressiveness Jack faces in the country. “Bunburying” as Algernon calls it, the two traveled back and forth for sometime, without even the slightest suspicion from their friends or family.

Their elaborate scheme isn't discovered until both Algernon and Jack fall in love. Jack, in love with a women from the city who believes his name to be earnest; and Algernon, with a woman who believes him to be Jack’s brother. The realization that the two men now share one name, each races to try to be christened in their new name of Earnest. However their journey comes to a halt when the women meet each other at Jacks house in the country. Their lovers discover the deception and Jack and Algernon are forced to reveal the truth of their double lives.

The journey with which these two characters take throughout the novel enlightens the works meaning and reveals the superficiality of the Victorian Society. A time period which weighed heavily upon class, outward appearance, and public behavior, is easily deceived by the false character of Earnest.