Arthur Kipps, an orphan trapped in a grueling drapery apprenticeship, dreams of a life beyond the 'Moloch of Retail.' When a sudden inheritance thrusts him into the confusing world of the upper-middle class, he must navigate rigid social codes and the 'bogs of ignorance.' H.G. Wells provides a biting yet sympathetic portrayal of Edwardian social mobility, critiquing the English education system and the performance of gentility in this classic tale of self-discovery.