Wealth, poverty, and social class play important roles in the story. They influence how different characters are treated and how Sara is treated differently when everyone thinks she is penniless. How do Victorian ideas about social class influence the way in which Miss Minchin treats Sara before and after she loses her money? How are Victorian attitudes about wealth and class different from or similar to the present day?

Teaching Suggestion: Encourage students to think about this motif as they reach the end of the novel, including consideration of any companion texts they may have read.

Differentiation Suggestion: Kinesthetic and active learners might work in small groups of two or more to act out a scene that represents Victorian attitudes toward wealth and social class and explain to the class the scene's importance to the story.