The Rise of Silas Lapham

"The Rise of Silas Lapham" by William Dean Howells is a story set in the late 1800s, following Silas Lapham, a man who struck it rich in the paint business, as he deals with the challenges that come with money and social expectations. The book starts with Bartley Hubbard, a reporter, interviewing Lapham, where Lapham tells of growing up poor and, through hard work, finding a special paint that made him rich. The interview shows Lapham's strong character, his pride in what he has built, and how important his family is to him. As we learn about Lapham's life, the story looks at what it meant to be successful in America, and what was right and wrong as times were changing.