On the Want of Money Analysis, 10/21/16

     As humanity evolved, both socially and culturally, money has become an important part of people’s lives. One often finds him or herself in the pursuit of it – to have money means to have a place to live in, food to eat, and access to most, if not all, necessities of life. In his essay “On the Want of Money” William Hazlitt, a nineteenth-century English author, developed an analysis of money and how people’s lives revolve around it. He has little appraise of money in the essay, and holds a negative position in its regard. With the use of with the use of diction, humorous tone, and syntactic strategies, Hazlitt argues that it does not matter whether one does or does not have money – in both scenarios, the person will end up unhappy and distressed.   

     Diction plays an important role in the development of Hazlitt’s position on money.  Words with negative associations tied to them are used all throughout the essay. Words such as “scrutinized”, “neglect”, “thrall” and “exile” serve the purpose of evoking feelings of sadness and vulnerability in the audience, and since these words are describing money, money itself becomes something negative.

To develop his position on money, Hazlitt maintains a humorous tone throughout the essay.

Hazlitt makes several joking expressions, “to marry your landlady” and “return home with a liver complaint”. Such use of humor connects Hazlitt with his audience, and as he proceeds with his argument – the want of money controls people’s lives and eventually makes them end up in sorrow and regret – it is taken more seriously.

     In "On the Want of Money" , Hazlitt created one long, extended sentence that reaches for over 40 lines. In this single sentence, he describes one effect of money after the next without slowing down or stopping. Such syntax is symbolic for the struggle that people face when pursuing wealth – one obstacle after the next, the negative effects of money, sorrow, disappointment, regret, keep piling up as the time goes on, and it seems as if there is no end to it.