The book’s title later became a common nickname for the era in which the story takes place. Gilding refers to the process of overlaying non-precious materials with a thin layer of gold, enhancing the object’s beauty and perceived value. The novel spans roughly the second half of the 19th century, a period in American history defined by enormous growth in manufacturing, completion of a transcontinental railroad, and the social dominance of “titans of industry” like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, who made fortunes in oil and steel, respectively. These factors contributed to a new vision of the American dream characterized not by financial security but by immense wealth. This vision proved both pervasive and destructive. Just as gilding’s thin layer of gold hides baser materials underneath, The Gilded Age depicts the era’s promise of easy wealth as a facade, hiding greed, fraud, and high rates of financial ruin.

Many subplots in The Gilded Age revolve around greed, manifested in its characters’ desire for riches beyond what they need to live comfortably. Dissatisfaction with the riches they do attain results in risky efforts to get more. Silas Hawkins and Eli Bolton demonstrate this. In Eli’s case, greed is not the only problem.