If I Had a Father · Character
James
A street boy with a quick grin and a quicker temper, loyal to Mattie as to a saint and quick to share whatever small fortune lands in his hands.
supporting
Also known as Jim, Jim Mattie, Jim Crow, James Honest boy, Bill Jim
First appearance: act i
As a supporting figure in If I Had a Father, James is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
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Jim squabbles with Jack over a penny Mattie told them to divide, and calls her a brick and a hangel without a trace of mockery. He follows Bill's lead in the court and treats Mattie's kindness as something sacred, worth…
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The fuller portrait of James sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See James in act iCharacter Web
12 connectionsA slice of how James sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Minor supporting males
- Central complex characters
- Protagonist
+7 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Breaking point
This is the dramatic climax because Sir Walter Gervaise’s confession—"I am his father"—reverses the entire emo…
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