Dodsworth · Character

Tub Pearson

Sam's oldest friend from Zenith, a banker grown gray and podgy, whose visit to Paris briefly restores the college self Sam thought he had lost.

supporting

Also known as Mr. Tub Pearson, old Tub, the Hon. Thomas J. Pearson

First appearance: I

As a supporting figure in Dodsworth, Tub Pearson is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Sam's former Yale roommate and chief admirer, now a bank teller.

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See Tub Pearson in I Book page

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Tub Pearson and Sam have been habits to each other since boyhood, and Tub's arrival in Europe is a jolt of home that Sam desperately needs. But Tub has grown into new routines and new opinions, and Sam finds himself sometimes allied against his old friend rather than with him. Tub's visit measures how far Sam has drifted from Zenith, and how much of his old life was simply the comfort of unexamined companionship.

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See Tub Pearson in I

Character Web

29 connections

A slice of how Tub Pearson sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Other

Character groups

Fran's European circle
Sam's American contacts
Wider social orbit
Sam's business network
Protagonist

+24 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

This is the story's dramatic climax because Fran’s monologue marks the emotional and psychological peak of her…

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Relationships

Sam Dodsworth
friendship · positive
Old friends and former business associates, with Tub representing Sam's American roots… How this plays out →
Sam Dodsworth
friendship · positive
Old friends and former business associates, with Tub representing Sam's American roots… How this plays out →
Sam Dodsworth
friendship · positive
Old friends and former business associates, with Tub representing Sam's American roots… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Tub Pearson in I

In the story

Tub Pearson appears across 12 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

I
Sam's former Yale roommate and chief admirer, now a bank teller. He teases Sam about his automobile and the new Revelation Company.
III
Tub jokes about Sam's European plans during a poker game, mocking the idea.
VI
Mentioned as having a nephew at the American Embassy, contributing to Sam's sense of belonging.
VII
Mentioned as a friend from Zenith whose jesting Sam recalls.
IX
Mentioned in Sam's thoughts as he feels lonely for Tub's familiar racket.
XIII
Sam wishes Tub were there to talk to, indicating his loneliness and lack of confidants.
Chapter XV
Mentioned as someone Sam wants to see in America; Fran sends her love to him and Matey.
XVIII
Greets Sam warmly but struggles to connect over Sam's European experiences, preferring vicarious tales of nightlife.
XIX
Has formed new habits with Dr. Hazzard, plans a golfing trip without waiting for Sam, and shows that he no longer depends on Sam's company.
Chapter XXVI
Gets heavily drunk on his first day in Paris, requiring Sam's assistance; later expresses disappointment with the quiet atmosphere of Voisin's.
XXVII
Spends a week with Sam in Paris, then departs for Amsterdam with Matey.
XXXII
Tub is referenced in Sam's internal comparison of the vulgar American party to the 'younger and gayer and slightly more amorous Tub Pearsons' of his acquaintance.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Tub Pearson unlock in the free preview.

See Tub Pearson in I