Dubliners · Character
Mr. Kernan
A tea merchant with a veteran's pride in his drinking, propped on pillows while his friends quietly plot his salvation in the parlour below.
supporting
Also known as Kernan
First appearance: Grace
As a supporting figure in Dubliners, Mr. Kernan is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
The injured protagonist, a lapsed Catholic of Protestant background, who is subtly manipulated by his friends into returning to the Church.
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Mr. Kernan has a stinging tongue, puffy cheeks like warm cinders, and a wife who has spent twenty-five years healing him without complaint. He books even small orders and never turns violent, so his intemperance passes…
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The fuller portrait of Mr. Kernan sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Mr. Kernan in GraceCharacter Web
17 connectionsA slice of how Mr. Kernan sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Central protagonists and catalysts
- Party guests and spiritual guides
- Reformers and moral critics
+12 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Farrington’s psychological peak occurs here as his simmering resentment and humiliation explode into a direct,…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
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Mr. Kernan appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Mr. Kernan unlock in the free preview.
See Mr. Kernan in Grace