Final answer:
Oliver Bacon in 'The Duchess and the Jeweller' by Virginia Woolf is a middle-class merchant aspiring to be part of the upper class, and this is portrayed as true in the story.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Virginia Woolf's story "The Duchess and the Jeweller," the statement that Oliver Bacon is a middle-class merchant seeking the society of the upper class is indeed true. Oliver Bacon, the richest jeweller in England, started from humble beginnings and has a deep desire to be accepted by the aristocracy.
This is illustrated by his interactions with the Duchess, who is of the upper class and whom he eagerly seeks to impress, going so far as to buy fake pearls from her in order to gain her favor and acceptance.
True. Oliver Bacon, the protagonist of Virginia Woolf's story "The Duchess and the Jeweller," is indeed a middle-class merchant who seeks the society of the upper class. He aspires to be part of the elite and is obsessed with wealth, luxury, and status. Bacon's pursuit of the upper class highlights themes of class consciousness and social stratification in the story.