# Papa — Mary Olivier: A Life character guide > Papa in Mary Olivier: A Life by May Sinclair. **Role:** major **Also known as:** IV Papa **First appearance:** 0000-book-i-infancy-1865-1869 ## Snapshot Mary's father, a bearded, opinionated man whose den, slippers, and sudden rages fill the house with a tension his daughter only half understands. ## Who they are Papa holds forth on Gladstone and the Church, teases Aunt Lavvy, and shuts himself in his den with his letters and his temper. His legs stretched toward the fender, his slippers shuffling in the passage, his voice stopping Mary's piano — he is the household's weather. Mary's slow reckoning with how little she cared for him becomes one of the book's quietest griefs. ## Relationships ### [Mamma](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mamma) _family_ Mamma and Papa share a strained, duty-bound marriage with underlying resentment and emotional distance, punctuated by Papa's illness and Mamma's dominance. ### [Mark Olivier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mark_olivier) _family_ Mark and Papa have a distant, formal relationship, with Papa's disappointment in Mark's choices and Mark's resentment of Papa's authority. ### [Mary Olivier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mary_olivier) _family_ Mary's relationship with Papa is one of pity and care, as she tends to his illness while feeling emotionally distant from his patriarchal rigidity. ### [Mark Olivier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mark_olivier) _family_ Mark and Papa have a distant, formal relationship, with Papa's disappointment in Mark's choices and Mark's resentment of Papa's authority. ### [Mamma](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mamma) _family_ Mamma and Papa share a strained, duty-bound marriage with underlying resentment and emotional distance, punctuated by Papa's illness and Mamma's dominance. ### [Mark Olivier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mark_olivier) _family_ Mark and Papa have a distant, formal relationship, with Papa's disappointment in Mark's choices and Mark's resentment of Papa's authority. ### [Mary Olivier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mary_olivier) _family_ Mary's relationship with Papa is one of pity and care, as she tends to his illness while feeling emotionally distant from his patriarchal rigidity. ### [Mamma](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mamma) _family_ Mamma and Papa share a strained, duty-bound marriage with underlying resentment and emotional distance, punctuated by Papa's illness and Mamma's dominance. ### [Mary Olivier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/mary_olivier) _family_ Mary's relationship with Papa is one of pity and care, as she tends to his illness while feeling emotionally distant from his patriarchal rigidity. ## In the story ### [Book I: Infancy (1865–1869)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/book-i-infancy-1865-1869) Mary's father, whose presence and expectations contribute to the family atmosphere. ### [Chapter I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-i) A large, intimidating presence at the dinner table. He teases Mary and forces her to taste wine, causing her distress. ### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-ii) Papa teases the dog Tibby, leading to its removal and death. He also watches the planting of the sumach tree with disapproval and slams the door in frustration. ### [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-v) Is excited about the visit, interacts with the aunts, and sends the children out of the room for laughing. ### [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-vii) Displays favoritism toward Mary, teases Mamma, but after the boys leave becomes kinder and more attentive. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-x) He forbids Aunt Charlotte from attending Mr. Marriott's church, showing his disapproval. ### [Book III: Adolescence (1876–1879)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/book-iii-adolescence-1876-1879) Mary's father, whose strictness and expectations contribute to Mary's struggles with education and obedience. ### [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-xiii) Emilius confronts Aunt Lavvy about her Unitarian book, showing his intolerance for differing religious views. ### [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-iv) Announces Dan's move, argues with Mamma, and later questions Mary about bullying. ### [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-xviii) Present in the cab and at the station, showing a quiet sadness and a mysterious inner life. ### [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/chapter-xx) Papa seems restless and aged, moving about the house with a sense of confinement, a shadow of his former self. ### [Book V: Middle Age (1900–1910)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/chapters/book-v-middle-age-1900-1910) Mary's father, whose memory and influence are revisited during this period. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters/papa - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_olivier_a_life_se/characters