The Ickabog

The good life in Cornucopia is frequently demonstrated by the delicacies that each region produces: cheeses, wines, smoked hams, and baked goods. Similarly, the characters’ rich clothing is also a means of expressing their prosperity. Even as the country grows poorer, King Fred enjoys all the material pleasures Cornucopia can produce. His people become ragged and hungry, embodying the contrast between the easy life of Chouxville and the rest of the region. While in the orphanage, Daisy wears a threadbare pair of coveralls because they are the last link with her father. She keeps patching and lengthening the garment to remind herself that she once had a home.

The heartless acquisition of specialty goods for the king’s benefit while the people suffer symbolizes his bad rulership. He doesn’t distribute resources equitably. Instead, he appropriates the best for his own use, as do his cronies. When Fred demands a new suit to wear in time to greet a foreign dignitary, Daisy’s mother literally works herself to death to complete it. Rather than appreciating the sacrifice, Fred is annoyed that Mrs. Dovetail didn’t finish sewing on the last amethyst button before dying. Flapoon demonstrates a similarly greedy attitude when he can barely stop stuffing himself long enough to commiserate with Mrs.