The Social History of Art

This younger generation is absolutely hostile to the bourgeoisie, but I is, on the whole, by no means democratic or even socialistic. Its sensualism and hedonism, its aim of enjoying life and becoming enraptured with it, of turning every hour of this life into an unforgettable and irreplaceable experience, often assumes an antisocial and a-moral character.

What does the historian Arnold Hauser underline about the 1880s?
Arnold Hauser underlines that the 1880s younger society was hostile to the bourgeoisie but with no democratic or socialistic aim. The way in which life is turned into an irreplaceable experience or the fullness of sensualism and hedonism assumes an antisocial or a-moral charater.

Could this sort of fin-de-siècle hedonism be a suitable term for the younger generation of our generation?
The "end of the century" was felt to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning. In the end of the 19th century it had decadence connotations that is generally expected when a century or time period draws to a close. Now it could mark the beginning of the age of technology.

Considering the ending of the novel, how can this story be interpreted?
As a criticism of the moral hypocrisy, vulgarity and materialism of Victorian society.