Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Flivver King, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Capitalism and Dehumanization
American Idealism and Disillusionment
Misinformation, Media Bias, and Ignorance
Individualism vs. Unionization
Technology and Progress
Summary
Analysis
Ford continues to prosper, and Abner continues to pay off his house. Abner also decides to buy an old Model T from 1910 for $325. It is the proudest moment of his life thus far, and his social position in the neighborhood rises immensely. The kids are giddy sitting in the car’s back seat. Abner also realizes that he will have to build a garage—just another thing to spend his bonus money on.
While the car provides some benefits to Abner, like freedom and a degree of social capital, it also comes with some cost, like building a garage. While it is a symbol of prosperity and progress for both Abner and Ford, this indicates that progress and technology can still have some drawbacks.
Themes
