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Chapter 1
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Bad Beginning, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Family and Parenthood
Surveillance, Supervision, and Guardianship
Children vs. Adults
Intelligence and Ethics
Summary
Analysis
Lemony Snicket claims it would be “useless” to describe how the Baudelaire children feel, suggesting that only those who have lost loved ones can understand. They are so sad that Klaus loses interest in books, the “gears” in Violet’s brain stop whirring, and Sunny bites with less energy than before. As Lemony Snicket explains, the situation is even worse because their home burned down, so they cannot even grieve in the comforts of their old bedrooms. In fact, the children visit their old house with Mr. Poe only to find all their old possessions ruined by the fire.
Lemony Snicket, in keeping with his ironic narrative style, refuses to describe the feeling of sadness the Baudelaire children feel. He believes doing so would be pointless, for only those who have lost loved ones can understand what such grief feels like. He then proceeds, ironically, to describe the sadness the Baudelaire children feel. None of the children are interested in any of their old hobbies, like reading or inventing, illustrating the devastating emotional impact of death. The things that normally make them happy cannot bring them relief or joy.
Active
Themes
With their home burned down, the Baudelaire children grieve at Mr. Poe’s home, which is less than ideal. Mr. Poe is never there, Mrs. Poe buys them ugly, itchy clothes, and Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are forced to share a room Mr. Poe’s two rude sons, Edgar, and Albert. Even so, when Mr. Poe announces that they will be leaving the next morning, the Baudelaire children are hesitant to leave. Mr. Poe explains that they will be moving in a distant relative named Count Olaf, and Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are unsure what to think: they don’t like Mr. Poe’s house, but they also have never heard of Count Olaf before.
The Baudelaire children stay at Mr. Poe’s house where, despite their recent trauma, they are largely neglected. Once again, Mr. Poe offers little emotional support to the children, disappearing during the day and leaving them with his two unkind sons. This highlights Mr. Poe’s coldness and emotional unavailability. He does not understand that the Baudelaire children might need more than what he is providing.
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Themes
Mr. Poe explains why Count Olaf was chosen as their guardian, claiming that their parents’ will says they should be raised in the most “convenient” way possible. Since Count Olaf is the only relative living in the same city, he was chosen. Klaus and Violet are still uncertain about the choice, however, and question why their parents never mentioned Count Olaf or invited him over. Mr. Poe explains that he was likely busy, as he is an actor. The children have more to ask Mr. Poe, but he dismisses himself from dinner to return to work at the bank.
The children glumly pack their bags and wonder what their future will bring. They do not sleep well, and Mr. Poe soon wakes them up to leave. Violet asks if they must leave so soon, and Mr. Poe says they do, as he is busy with work. They leave the house and travel across the city to their new home, arriving in front of the “prettiest” house on the block. An older woman stands in the doorway holding a flowerpot. She says hello to the children, stating that they must be Count Olaf’s new adopted children. Violet shakes the woman’s hand and notices how warm it is. She feels hopeful about their situation for the first time and introduces herself, her siblings, and Mr. Poe.
Active
Themes
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The woman tells the children that she had heard of their parents’ accident. She introduces herself as Justice Strauss. She explains that she is a judge on the High Court, prompting Violet to ask whether she is married to Count Olaf. Justice Strauss emphatically expresses that she is not, claiming that he is her neighbor, though she does not know him well. The children look next door and see a dirty, ugly house with an ominous tower and an eye painted on the front door. Sunny shrieks her dislike for Count Olaf’s house, and Justice Strauss suggests that the children come help her garden sometime. Violet agrees but wishes they could live with Justice Strauss instead of Count Olaf. They say goodbye.
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Themes
Klaus knocks on Count Olaf’s door, and the door opens, revealing a tall, thin man in a stained suit. The man, Count Olaf, says hello to the children, who notice that his eyes are shiny, making him look both “hungry and angry.” He invites them in but asks that they wipe their feet to not dirty the house—an absurd statement given how dirty the house is. Mr. Poe comments as much, and Count Olaf apologizes sarcastically for his home not being as nice as the Baudelaire mansion. He suggests pointedly that money could make it nicer, to which Mr. Poe firmly clarifies that the Baudelaire fortune will not be used until Violet comes of age.
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Themes
Count Olaf turns angrily to Mr. Poe, and Violet thinks he is going to hit him. He recovers his composure, however, and claims it does not matter to him either way. He thanks Mr. Poe for bringing the children and offers to show them their new room. Mr. Poe says goodbye and wishes the children luck, saying they can always contact him at the bank. Klaus points out they don’t know where the bank is, but Count Olaf says he has a map and shuts the door. The children wish they could continue to live Mr. Poe house and notice that count Olaf has an eye tattooed on his ankle. They wonder how many more eyes are in the house—and if it will ever feel like Count Olaf isn’t watching them.
