The Code of the Woosters

In the novel, Jeeves reveals that members of his private club entertain themselves with written accounts of their rich employers’ foibles and tomfoolery. How does this deepen the class satire of P. G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves stories and develop Jeeves’s (often inscrutable) character? Cite the text in your argument.

Bertie Wooster, though mostly frivolous in his tastes and opinions, observes a basic code of honor. This includes chivalry toward women, pride in the “Wooster clan,” generosity toward friends, and a sort of noble obligation. Cite examples from the text of Wooster’s higher principles and how they may undercut his own desires or comfort.

Wooster likes to show off his education, even if he often misquotes. What is the effect, comic or otherwise, of his allusions to great literature and his use of French and Latin quotes in the context of the story? Cite examples from the text in your argument.

The Code of the Woosters, with its sylvan setting, romantic mix-ups, multiple engagements, and “happy ending,” has been likened to such “pastoral comedies” as Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Compare the novel with one of these plays, discussing their likenesses and dissimilarities and what these say about Wodehouse’s view of his characters.

In Wodehouse’s fiction and in the world at large, Jeeves has become a byword for wisdom and reliable advice. Nevertheless, in this novel and other Wooster stories, Jeeves’s advice or actions occasionally misfire and lead to more trouble for his master. Discuss some instances of this and the reasons behind them.

In the novel’s world, food is immensely important and helps drive the plot. Discuss some ways in which the characters use food to manipulate or get the better of others or to otherwise achieve their ends. Why does Wodehouse specifically use food in this capacity instead of another symbol or motif?

Gussie Fink-Nottle, who devotes much of his time to studying newts, is less astute in his dealings with humans. In what ways do his character and behavior suggest a satire of the scientific method? Cite examples from the text in your argument.

Some of the novel’s upper-class characters treat their underlings with gross insensitivity. What does this behavior, and the fact that it goes mostly unpunished, say about the prerogatives of their class? How does Wodehouse view their actions?