This essay discusses James’s response―to the social, economic, and cultural transformations that his city of birth had undergone since his childhood―as it is revealed in his treatment of the characters and his delineation of the locale in Washington Square. In particular, it examines the ways in which the character of Morris Townsend embodies the grasping spirit of the times and a culture in which more and more attention was being paid to the possession and enjoyment of expensive things such as furniture, clothes, food, etc. Closely related to this reading of Morris is the analysis of his interaction with his antagonist, Dr. Sloper (himself hardly unaware of, or insensitive to, the monetary value of things), and with the object of his designs and speculation, Catherine Sloper.
