A New Universe

Early on in the novel, Adams proclaims, "For him, alone, the old universe was thrown into the ash-heap and a new one created". This quote sums up the experience of 'education' that Henry Adams is grappling with. Born into high status, Adams is constantly trying to figure out what precisely that means for him in a world that is vastly changed from the world of his grandfather. From the beginning, Adams creates a taxonomy to make sense of his world. We see this through the constant references of things or places as belonging to the 18th century, or the 16th century etc... Implicit in this is that Adams is on the precipice of experiencing something completely new, and completely unique in human history. His search for education then, is a search for the tools that will make meaning of this new world.
At the same time, the idea of education for Adams seems to be distinctly linked to his own identity. No longer can his identity be based on the family he was raised in, or the town from which he came. Adams is searching for what values make him who he truly is. An early example of this is when Charles Sumner is elected Senator in a somewhat shady deal with the Democrats. Adams is taken aback by the moral standards of his childhood, but is excited that his friend has been elected senator. This first lesson in moral ambiguity is a critical part of Adams' education and his search for identity.