Mrs. Hepworth thinks Willie the boot maker is good at his trade. Hobson disagrees with her congratulating him. As Mrs. Hepworth says 'Did you make these boots.' Then Hobson remarks 'If there is anything wrong I'm capable of making the man suffer for it.' This shows Hobson thinks poorly of his staff, also Mrs. Hepworth thinks People should be praised for doing a good job. However, Hobson gets jealous of Willie because of this.
Hobson doesn't pay his daughters waages but he does pay Willie's. Jim says '...and their wages?' Then Hobson says 'Wages! do you think i pay my own daughters wages?' 'I'm not a fool!' This is saying that Will maybe more important to him or that his daughters are related to him so that they can work for nothing. But later on in the play Hobson offers to give Hobson his old wage back but he doesn't offer Maggie anything. This shows by Ada saying 'Here's your dinner Will,' that Will is considered more important as they say 'Oh, Miss 'obson' it's good of you to take notice like that,' which shows that she can't say things properly. He had also gained importance then to have people fighting over him.
Alice disagrees with Maggie owning a shop. She also wonders where they got the funding. Maggie produces a card saying 'Willie Mossop, practical book and shoe...' This shows the he is professional and proper. This shows they have gone from working in a shop to owning one.
Maggie wants Hobson to wear a collar for work. This shows that Hobson is below Willie in the social ladder. Maggie says 'Father don't you think... to put a collar on for Will.' Hobson 'Put a collar on for Willie Mossop' (enraged at idea) Maggie manages to talk him round but he still makes an excuse. 'I'm going to put a collar on, but because my neck's cold.' She has managed to make Hobson put a collar on, but because Hobson is very proud he says the collar is for something else.
Throughout the drama, Willie gains importance and eventually buys his own shop, with the help Maggie. Willie grows from being a poor laboring man to a professional shoe maker who earns a lot of money, he gains confidence and near the end Hobson is inferior to Willie.
