The theme of selflessness is at the core of this story. Gillian begins as a selfish and superficial man who is amused by his inheritance and cannot consider doing anything with it beyond buying something frivolous. However, as the story progresses, Gillian decides against spending the money on himself and gives it to Miss Hayden. When he learns that he could inherit much more, he still decides to give it to Miss Hayden, even at the expense of perpetuating his reputation as someone who, as his uncle puts it, spends money “in reprehensible dissipation among disreputable associates” (83).

Giving the money to Miss Hayden twice was selfless and altruistic. Instead of thinking of himself, he thought about someone else, perhaps someone who needed the money far more than he. In addition, he chose to do this after Miss Hayden rejected him. He refers to her as “the best and dearest woman on earth” (82), demonstrating even further his selflessness and a degree of generosity that was unknown in him before.

Gillian’s love for Miss Hayden leads him to act selflessly and establishes love as a central theme in this story. Gillian first gives Miss Hayden the $1,000 because she inherited only $10 from his uncle.