Home Scenes and Home Influence; a series of tales and sketches

"Home Scenes and Home Influence; a series of tales and sketches" by T. S. Arthur is a compilation of stories from the 1800's that focus on moral lessons and the significance of family. It shows different examples of how family life and atmosphere affects a person's behavior and morals. One set of examples involves the introduction to a pair of newly married couples, George and Anna Brainard and Tyler and his wife, as they begin their lives together. The author uses the situations that the couples encounter in the stories to illustrate the financial decisions and aspirations of the couples. The problems that arise from Brainard's love of luxurious spending is heavily emphasized. Through the stories, Arthur sets up larger lessons pertaining to not overspending, the negative effects of keeping up with social norms, and how real joy stems from making smart choices. This prepares the way for the moral stories and character studies included later in the compilation.