Page "After the Funeral" Paragraph 36

Unlike Taken at the Flood, in which there is a strong sense of post-war English society reforming along the lines of the status quo ante, After the Funeral is deeply pessimistic about the social impact of war.

The village post office no longer handles the local post.

Mr. Goby blames the government for the poor standard of investigators that he is able to employ.

The family mansion must be sold, and the butler Lanscombe, who had expected to be able to retire to the North Lodge, is forced to leave the estate.

A pier from a postcard view has been bombed and not yet rebuilt, which desolate fact is pivotal to the plot.

Richard Abernethie is very sad as his only son died abruptly from polio, a common and devastating epidemic of that time.

The son was fit, healthy, about to marry, and suddenly gone.

Richard sees no other single heir worthy of succeeding to his estate entire.

The Abernethie drive and talent for business are found in his niece Susan, but he cannot consider her as sole heir because she is female.

Rather he reacts to her by being disappointed in her husband.

Not finding any one person to take over his fortune and his business, he divided his fortune among family members who seem likely to waste it on gambling and theatre ventures.