The desire for material possessions and the desire for romance are intertwined as one. Authors who seek to portray economic principles demonstrate the power of desire first with romance, then with money and material possessions. Dekker does this simultaneously by having his character Hammon attempt to "buy" Jane from the store, and almost succeeds, after first searching the store for merchandise to purchase. He eventually comes very close to marrying her and even attempts to pay off Ralph, her legal husband, so that he can have Jane. This also suggests the idea of ​​marriage itself as a