History and time
There are many people who read that this book is about people who lived in the past and decide that it isn't relevant to human life today. For this wrong perception, imagery is needed as a remedy, and Strachey uses imagery to recapture the importance of the past. By placing the reader in the flow of time, reminding them of the ineffable quality of human nature, the author shows that human lives from eras past are still insightful, especially because the book deals with legacy. By looking at the legacies of those who came before, the reader can correctly understand legacy.
Power and authority
The important people in this book have something in common. They are all embedded in a network of power and authority. Whether that is church authority, political authority, or the authority of the academies just depends on each person, but what doesn't change is that these game-changers are in a competition for power. Their legacies are connected with their ability to make a decision with authority in the public realm. Without their political power and sway, they would be forgotten into the annals of history.
The status quo
In addition to the network of people that constitute power structures, there is another evident imagery relating to power and effectiveness: the status quo. There is a tendency in political agencies (churches included) to conserve the status quo, because "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." But in many cases, the status quo needs to be overruled, like when Major-General Gordon made a decision quite contrary to the opinions of his contemporaries. Cardinal Manning is remembered for his fierce opposition to the church's status quo.
Human tenacity and greatness
The title shows this imagery as a central consideration of the book. What does it mean to become Eminent? The book offers a portrait of human tenacity and greatness to answer that thematic question. Through the shared imagery of these various lives, a common factor is isolated; they are eminent who effectively navigate complex authority systems to bring about effective change. Typically, the social aspect of these game-changers is unpleasant and even caustic. They are not kind and gentle, but rather tenacious, aggressive, and combative.
