In which Martin Chuzzlewit arrives in the bustling and tumultuous city of New York, where he is introduced to the lively and somewhat dubious world of American journalism and society through the company of Colonel Diver and his son, Jefferson Brick. Amidst a scene of hearty boarders discussing commerce and politics, Martin gains a discerning glimpse into the complexities and contradictions of a country marked by both noisy independence and the relentless pursuit of dollars.