Corruption of Affluence

One of the main themes of The Nanny Diaries is the corruption of affluence. A question Nan asks herself again and again is how these women who hire nannies and don't work become what they become. The women whom she describes as acting like Mrs. X are very, very wealthy. They don't work, aren't philanthropic, and genuinely have very little to do throughout the day. But they will plan and do things to keep up appearances with their other wealthy and idle women-friends. Mrs. X fits this archetype exactly.

Nan wonders if it is the abundance of wealth and the idleness and competition that creates these women. Everything in Mrs. X's world is expensive, manicured and staged and a child does not fit into this environment. Nan is there to keep Grayer essentially out of Mrs. X's world. Though this woman has everything anyone could want...