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Cara Rodriguez

Mrs. Ebel

AP Literature

7 December 2023

IOBE Essay

In the play “The Importance of Being Earnest”, Oscar Wilde uses Jack Worthing as a

source of social commentary for the reasonings and intentions behind the character’s purposeful

deception that benefit the character by helping him fit into the upper class or “old money” class

and be able to help him and Algernon Moncreiff find wives, much to only their own benefit.

In the case of Jack Worthing, the character he created of Earnest is a sophisticated rich

man from the city. This is his safety net in the world as it grants him nearly everything he has

ever wanted, the woman of his dreams and inclusion in the family he eventually found. Jack,

who originally made the facade of Earnest to fit in with the rich, old money class of people in the

city. Earnest was also used to purposely deceive and manipulate others in the plot, similar to the

character of Bunbury that Algernon originally used as his scapegoat. Jack, who had moderate

attachment to his alter ego of Earnest, used the name as a crutch but it ultimately turned against

him when the woman he desires, Gwendolen, finds out the truth behind his scheme. Initially, she

is infatuated with how Earnest was “a divine name” and how the name “has a music of its own”

(Wilde 18), but this is shot down later in the play after dispute between Jack and Algernon leads

to both of their suitresses find out the lie behind Earnest.

Algernon, who is notorious for his childish nature and lack of awareness, starts the play

out building an empire with his lies. He takes advantage of the empathy and emotions of others

by creating the character of Bunbury, one he does not impersonate like how Jack does with
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Earnest but one he is able to use to get out of situations. Bunbury is described by Algernon as

sick and frail, he is in constant need of help and support so he is conveniently able to avoid tasks

he is opposed to doing by using lies and excuses surrounding the health of someone fabricated

for his own convenience. Algernon, who takes advantage of any lie or opportunity that can grant

him with benefits, takes the persona of Earnest for himself in order to gain the attention of

Cecily, a girl who has always been intrigued with the “brother” that Jack had described to her.

The empire of lies comes crashing down in act two of the play when Algernon and Jack are

approached by Cecily and Gwendolen, and it is exposed that both men had been lying to the

women they loved. The lies bring such distaste to the women, lending them to even describe this

web of lies as a “gross deception” and showing discomfort for how they both had been wronged

(Wilde 64).

With the