In The Late George Apley, Marquand's portrayal of the stultified protagonist demonstrates how early twentieth-century Boston's caste system defeats even the well-intentioned members of the elite who devote their lives to its preservation. Without being political, Marquand emphasizes the origins of the Apley fortune in slave trading, a fortune later augmented by the exploitation of mill hands in the textile industry at Apley Falls. As in all of Marquand's novels of manners, the settings identify the direction of the satire. Among the objects of Apley's energy are the Beacon Street and Milton properties which must be preserved against mildew and Dutch elm disease and the Pequod Island Club where vacationing Brahmins recreate Boston society in a location that emphasizes their insularity. Apley and his set maintain their solidarity and insularity even when traveling in Europe.

As George writes home on his last trip, "Rome is really...