Vanity Fair - Minor plot question...

[Magliarosa]

I started watching the TV adaptation but wasn't overly impressed, thought the use of modern music was a bit strange. Anyway, decided I'd try to read the book instead - it's been sitting on my shelf for years and I've never managed to get beyond the first chapter!

I'm now about 1/3rd of the way though and finding it ok but I have a question and was wondering if the wise women of MN could help.

When Mr Sedley goes bankrupt why doesn't his son Joss bail him out? The book mentions many times how rich the son is and how he lives his life of luxury yet he seems to allow his parents and sister to be disgraced? Wouldn't he have stepped in and helped them?

I do tend to skim read so may have missed something or mis-understood the finer details!

I wondered about that too, but apparently the parents didn't want to tell Joss about the trouble they were in. And he was abroad most of the time so didn't know quite how bad it was. Not the best explanation though, is it?

How does send money and that’s what they live off when they move away from Russel Square. But Mr Sedley squanders it on bad business opportunities.

This is actually what leads to

spoiler

Amelia accepting Mr Osbourne’s offer to take Georgie, because she realises there’s literally no other option but to take the allowance in exchange for her boy

Thanks! That does make more sense now. Knew I hadn't read some bits properly

Yes that’s right, Jos gives his father an annuity; his father sells the annuity to a moneylender and then loses the proceeds in his business schemes, but doesn’t tell anyone.