Billiards represents the addictive vices of the upper-class characters in Vanity Fair, many of which revolve around greed. Billiards is especially important for George, who is so eager to potentially make money that he continues to accept challenges to play against Rawdon, even though Rawdon beats him every time. Rawdon himself has learned how to use other men’s vices to his advantage, pretending to be a worse player than he is so that his opponents feel at ease, then hustling his opponents to take their money. Although Rawdon succeeds for a time in making good money off billiards, most of his opponents aren’t as gullible as George, and so he must continually seek out new partners to play with.
In many ways, Rawdon’s billiards money-making schemes resemble the actions of his wife, Becky, who also tries to trick men out of their money. She turns flirting into a game, and, just like Rawdon’s billiards-playing, her efforts bring short-term success but often isolate her from the people around her. And so, ultimately, billiards represents how the members of the upper-class interact with each other; while life might seem like a fair game, those who are willing to use deception can gain an advantage, at least in the short-term.
Billiards Quotes in Vanity Fair
‘Only I wish you had sown those wild oats of yours, George. If you could have seen poor little Miss Emmy’s face when she asked me about you the other day, you would have pitched those billiard-balls to the deuce. Go and comfort her, you rascal. Go and write her a long letter. Do something to make her happy; a very little will.’
On nothing per annum then, and during a course of some two or three years, of which we can afford to give but a very brief history, Crawley and his wife lived very happily and comfortably at Paris. It was in this period that he quitted the Guards and sold out of the army. When we find him again, his mustachios and the title of Colonel on his card are the only relics of his military profession.
Billiards Symbol Timeline in Vanity Fair
