The Admirable Crichton

The story revolves around the Crichton family particularly the talented and resourceful butler Crichton and his employer Lord Loam. When Lord Loam decides to take his progressive views on social equality to the extreme by hosting a dinner party with his socialist ideals at the forefront the gathering reveals the tensions between the aristocracy and the working class. The plot thickens when a shipwreck strands the characters on a deserted island forcing them to rely on their wits and abilities for survival. In this new environment the social hierarchy begins to shift dramatically. Crichton whose competence and practical skills emerge as vital for the group's survival becomes the de facto leader while the aristocrats struggle to adapt to their new circumstances. Barrie cleverly contrasts the traditional roles of the upper class with the meritocracy that arises in the face of adversity. The character dynamics reveal the absurdities of social class and the arbitrary nature of status.