The Prince and the Pauper it is not, but Leviathan does feature two protagonists from vastly different societies and social classes. Most of our reflections on society and class come from good old Prince Aleksander of Hohenberg, who kind of has it on the brain: he's concerned about people feeling superior to him, even as he goes around feeling superior to everyone else. Part of Alek's journey in the novel is adjusting his assumptions about people who aren't Clanker nobles, whether they are Darwinists or commoners.
Questions About Society and Class
- What's up with Alek's oddly bitter feelings toward his mom? He acts like if she didn't exist, he'd be the heir, when in fact, if she didn't exist, he wouldn't exist—like at all.
- Does Alek's royal status ever seem to bother Deryn in any way? Does it intimidate her or make her uncomfortable?
- In what ways does Alek exhibit a sense of entitlement? What does he see as his rights?
- What do you think the Darwinist leadership would do with Alek if they knew his true identity?
Chew on This
Alek doesn't appear to be a snob until he encounters other people, including the commoners in Lienz and Deryn.
One of Deryn's main functions as Alek's friend is to make him laugh at aspects of himself—including his privileged upbringing.