Paul Dombey, the wealthy owner of a shipping company, dreams of having a son to continue his business, despite the fact that he already has a daughter named Florence. The book begins when his son is born and Dombey's wife dies shortly after giving birth. The child, named Paul after his father, dies of illness when he is still only six years old. Dombey has neglected Florence for years, and now devastated, he pushes her away from him after the death of his son. The Dombey family must experience a series of ups and downs before there is a chance of reaching reconciliation. Dombey and Son features many Dickensian themes, such as arranged marriages, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit.