Ready Reference Treatise: The Bonfire of the Vanities

By Raja Sharma

“The Bonfire of the Vanities” by Tom Wolfe was first published in 1987. The story is set in the 1980s in New York City. It explores themes such as racism, ambition, politics, social class, and greed.

The story revolves around three major characters, Sherman McCoy, Larry Kramer, and Peter Fellow. Sherman is a WASP bond trader. Larry is the assistant district attorney, and Peter is a British expatriate journalist.

Ready Reference Treatise: The Bonfire of the Vanities
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Background, Title, and Writing Style
Chapter Four: Characters
Chapter Five: Complete Summary
Chapter Six: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Aug 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310397066

Raja Sharma

Raja Sharma is a retired college lecturer.He has taught English Literature to University students for more than two decades.His students are scattered all over the world, and it is noticeable that he is in contact with more than ninety thousand of his students.

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Ready Reference Treatise: The Bonfire of the Vanities

Copyright

Ready Reference Treatise: The Bonfire of the Vanities

Raja Sharma

Copyright@2015 Raja Sharma

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Chapter One: Introduction

The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe was first published in 1987. The story is set in the 1980s in New York City. It explores themes such as racism, ambition, politics, social class, and greed.

The story revolves around three major characters, Sherman McCoy, Larry Kramer, and Peter Fellow. Sherman is a WASP bond trader. Larry is the assistant district attorney, and Peter is a British expatriate journalist.

The author had initially thought of writing the book as a serial as Charles Dickens used to write in his time. The book was divided into 27 installments in Rolling Stone. Before being published in the form of a complete book, the author had revised it several times.

When it was first published, it became an instant bestseller. The success was really phenomenal. Although Wolfe had already written some other books, the success of this book was incomparable. It is often said to be the quintessential novel of the 1980s.

The biting satire and the piercing criticism of the society during the presidency of Ronald Reagan make it one of the most widely read book.

Eventually, it was adapted into a movie in 1990. The film was directed by Brain de Palma.

The title of the book is highly significant and quite relevant to the context. It refers to a ritual that used to be practiced during the Renaissance. In those days, there used to be public burning of the vanity objects such as secular books, expensive clothes, and mirrors, etc. by the orthodox and conservative Catholics.

To make the story more interesting and captivating, the author has exaggerated the climate of racial, ethnic, and class strife. However, the story highly impressively reveals some of the ugliest truths of the 1980s and the present time.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

Sherman McCoy is the central character in the novel. He happens to be a very rich New York City bond trader. He lives in New York City with his wife and young daughter.

He used to regard himself as the Master of the Universe on the Wall Street, but that image of himself gets shattered when one night he and his mistress, Maria Ruskin, accidently enter the Bronx. They happen to be driving to Manhattan from Kennedy Airport.

While driving, McCoy finds the ramp back to the highway blocked by a tire and trash cans. He gets out of the car to remove the trash from the road.

He is suddenly approached by two black men. McCoy and Ruskin drive away from that place. Ruskin happens to be at the wheel. While racing away she hits one of the two boys, who seems to be apparently skinny.

The narrative shifts to Peter Fallow. He has been an alcoholic journalist for tabloid called ‘City Light.’ One day, he gets an opportunity of his lifetime. He is told to write a series of articles about Henry Lamb, a black youth who is said to have been the victim of a hit and run case. It is presumed that the driver of the car was a wealthy white person.

Reverend Bacon is a religious and political leader in Harlem. He tries to manipulate Fallow. When Fallow’s articles on the boy get published, a series of protests gets ignited in the area. Media begins to give a lot of coverage to the Lamb case.

Abe Weiss is the Bronx District Attorney. He is up for reelection. He enters the Lamb case. He happens to be a media obsessed person. He pushes for McCoy’s arrest.

The description of the vehicle matches McCoy’s car. When the police questions McCoy, he gives evasive answers.

McCoy is almost ruined after his arrest. He gets distracted and can’t concentrate on his work. There is a flub on landing an investor for a six hundred million bond. He is compelled to take a leave of absence. He is even ostracized by his upper class friends. Taking her daughter, his wife leaves the house.

Larry Kramer tries to impress his boss and former juror Shelly Thomas. He prosecutes the case very aggressively. He tries unsuccessfully to set McCoy’s bail at $250,000.

Eventually, McCoy is released on bail. Outside the courtroom, he is surrounded by the demonstrators who are protesting McCoy’s three million dollars Park Avenue coop.

One day, Fallow hears a rumor that Ruskin was driving the car that had hit Lamb. It transpires that she has fled the country.

Fallow decides to find the truth. He pretends