# Virgil Adams — Alice Adams character guide > Virgil Adams in Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Virgil, Adams, Ole Virg Adams, Virg **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Who they are Alice's father, a worn businessman straining to give his family the standing they crave while his plant and patience both run thin. ## Relationships ### [Alice Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/alice_adams) _family_ Alice deeply loves her father Virgil, who is her emotional anchor and a source of pride despite his financial struggles. ### [Walter Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/walter_adams) _family_ Virgil is Walter's father, and their relationship is strained by Walter's illness and Virgil's financial burdens. ### [Arthur Russell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/arthur_russell) _social_ Arthur interacts with Virgil as a potential future father-in-law, with underlying class tensions. ### [Alice Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/alice_adams) _family_ Alice deeply loves her father Virgil, who is her emotional anchor and a source of pride despite his financial struggles. ### [Walter Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/walter_adams) _family_ Virgil is Walter's father, and their relationship is strained by Walter's illness and Virgil's financial burdens. ### [Arthur Russell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/arthur_russell) _social_ Arthur interacts with Virgil as a potential future father-in-law, with underlying class tensions. ### [Alice Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/alice_adams) _family_ Alice deeply loves her father Virgil, who is her emotional anchor and a source of pride despite his financial struggles. ### [Walter Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/walter_adams) _family_ Virgil is Walter's father, and their relationship is strained by Walter's illness and Virgil's financial burdens. ### [Arthur Russell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/arthur_russell) _social_ Arthur interacts with Virgil as a potential future father-in-law, with underlying class tensions. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/i) The sick patient, irritable and stubborn, argues with his wife about returning to his old job and resents the nurse's care. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/ii) Virgil is ill in bed, upset by his wife's pressure to change his work, and expresses worry about the risks of new ventures at his age. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/iii) Virgil is mentioned as the subject of Alice and Mrs. Adams's disagreement; Alice insists her mother not talk to him about business matters. ### [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/iv) Virgil tries to discuss his worries about work and finances with Alice but is gently rebuffed. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/vi) Ill in bed, admires Alice's appearance and comments on her violets. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/ix) Virgil listens sympathetically to Alice's troubles, laughs at her stage ambitions, and decides to start smoking again. His old love letter to Mrs. Adams reveals a hopeful, ambitious younger self. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/x) Virgil is referenced as the recipient of the tobacco Alice carries, and later she fills his pipe and pampers him after returning home. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xi) Virgil is mentioned as having been enraged by the glue factory topic, having fallen ill after a Sunday rampage, and is now upstairs during the conversation. ### [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xii) Virgil is uplifted by J.A. Lamb's visit, showing renewed spirit and health. He speaks at length about Lamb's integrity and the moral values of their business relationship, feeling valued and respected. ### [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xiii) Defensive and weary, he listens to his wife's accusations about his failure to provide for Alice. ### [Chapter XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xiv) Virgil has decided to leave Lamb's company to start a glue factory, but is afraid of J.A. Lamb's reaction and is not speaking to anyone. ### [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xv) Virgil Adams summons Walter to discuss the glue business and demands he leave his job to help, leading to a tense argument. ### [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xvi) Struggles with guilt over revealing the glue formula secret to his wife and his decision to use it for personal gain; visits Charley Lohr and writes a painful letter. ### [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xvii) Driven and anxious, he paces at night, works relentlessly at his new plant, leases a brick shed, and delivers a letter to J.A. Lamb via Charley Lohr, showing physical strain and obsessive focus. ### [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xviii) Consumed by guilt and curiosity about J. A. Lamb's opinion; works obsessively on the glue-works and fears meeting Lamb. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xix) Virgil is upset about Walter's demand for $350 and reluctantly agrees to fund the dinner. He complains about wearing his old dress suit. ### [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xx) Mentioned as the man J.A. Lamb trusted for years, now revealed to have been dishonest. ### [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxi) Struggles with his ill-fitting clothes and a frayed collar, complains about the heat and the smell of cabbage, and seeks Alice's help with his shirt buttonhole. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxii) Virgil is awkward at the dinner, forgets to buy cigars, and later excuses himself to see Charley Lohr. ### [Chapter XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxiii) Virgil rages at Walter's betrayal, vows to repay the stolen money, walks all night, and goes to his factory only to discover Lamb's takeover sign. ### [Chapter XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxiv) Virgil is mentioned as having confronted Mr. Lamb earlier, accusing him of trickery, and is now ill and brooding over the family's troubles. ### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxv) Virgil is in his room, now wearing a dressing-gown and smoking his pipe. He reflects philosophically on how life's unexpected turns allow one to 'squirm out' of being pushed to the wall, and he shows concern that Alice understands such hardships at her age. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/virgil_adams - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters