The Rise of Silas Lapham

E41213

The Rise of Silas Lapham is an 1885 realist novel by William Dean Howells that explores social class, moral integrity, and the American business ethic through the story of a self-made paint manufacturer in post–Civil War Boston.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf novel
realist novel
adaptation stage adaptations
author William Dean Howells
centralConflict Silas Lapham’s moral choices in business and society
containsCharacterType Boston Brahmin family
self-made businessman
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
depicts a self-made paint manufacturer
examines consequences of speculative business practices
interaction between nouveau riche and established elite
firstPublishedIn The Century Magazine
focusesOn conflict between business success and moral duty
genre realism
includedIn American literature curricula
laterPublishedAs book
literaryMovement Realism
surface form: American realism
literarySignificance key novel in William Dean Howells’s career
major work of American realism
mainCharacter Anna Corey
Bromfield Corey
Irene Lapham
Penelope Lapham
Persis Lapham
Silas Lapham
Tom Corey
narrativePerspective third-person narration
originalLanguage English
protagonist Silas Lapham
publicationForm serial
publicationYear 1885
publisher William D. Ticknor & Company
surface form: Ticknor and Company
setInPeriod post–Civil War era
setInPlace Boston, Massachusetts
surface form: Boston
settingFeature Back Bay
surface form: Back Bay Boston

Boston business world
theme American business ethics
ethical responsibility in business
family relationships
moral integrity
old money versus new money
rise and fall of a self-made man
romantic love
social class
social mobility
timeOfAction late 19th century

Referenced by (14)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

William Dean Howells notableWork The Rise of Silas Lapham
Elinor Mead notableWork The Rise of Silas Lapham
subject surface form: William Dean Howells
Silas Lapham fictionalUniverse The Rise of Silas Lapham
Silas Lapham appearsInWork The Rise of Silas Lapham
Penelope Lapham appearsIn The Rise of Silas Lapham
Tom Corey appearsIn The Rise of Silas Lapham
Tom Corey firstAppearedIn The Rise of Silas Lapham
Anna Corey appearsIn The Rise of Silas Lapham
Bromfield Corey appearsIn The Rise of Silas Lapham
Bromfield Corey firstPublishedIn The Rise of Silas Lapham
this entity surface form: The Rise of Silas Lapham (1885)
Irene Lapham fictionalUniverse The Rise of Silas Lapham
Irene Lapham appearsIn The Rise of Silas Lapham
Persis Lapham appearsIn The Rise of Silas Lapham
Persis Lapham publicationContext The Rise of Silas Lapham
this entity surface form: The Rise of Silas Lapham (1885)