But what was a girl to Dombey and Son! In the capital of the House’s name and dignity, such a child was merely a piece of base coin that couldn’t be invested–a bad Boy–nothing more.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: This quote sparks the major conflict of the novel: what happens when Mr. Dombey has a daughter instead of the son he thinks he needs and deserves? To Dombey, his children, like everybody in his life, are only valuable in their ability to serve his business interests or his ego. Dombey does not believe that his daughter can have any role in building his business because she is a girl and his dream is to continue on with Dombey and Son, not Dombey and Daughter. Florence is like a “base coin” that may look like a coin but holds no value. Moreover, the narrator makes it clear that Dombey sees no...