McTeague · Character

Cribbens

A weathered, wandering companion McTeague falls in with on the road, offering rough fellowship when the dentist has nothing left.

supporting

Also known as evening Cribbens

First appearance: xvii

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

Mentioned as having told McTeague about the Armagosa Mountains and the difficulty of crossing Death Valley.

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Cribbens is a drifting, hard-luck prospector type who crosses McTeague's path once the dentist's settled life has come apart and he is moving through the world unmoored. He offers the kind of casual, unjudging male company McTeague once had in Marcus, but stripped of Polk Street's comforts and rivalries. His appearance signals how far McTeague has fallen from the dental parlors, and his schemes and talk of gold keep the story's pull toward the mining country alive.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Cribbens sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Cribbens in xvii

Character Web

4 connections

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

Relationship types

Friendship
Other

Character groups

Peripheral or historical figures
Polk Street community
Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This chapter marks the dramatic climax because it represents the emotional and psychological peak of Trina’s a…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

McTeague
friendship · positive
Cribbens is a friend and fellow miner who helps McTeague escape after he kills Trina. How this plays out →
McTeague
friendship · positive
Cribbens is a friend and fellow miner who helps McTeague escape after he kills Trina. How this plays out →
McTeague
friendship · positive
Cribbens is a friend and fellow miner who helps McTeague escape after he kills Trina. How this plays out →

Relationship notes

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

See Cribbens in xvii

In the story

Cribbens 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 Cribbens unlock in the free preview.

See Cribbens in xvii

See Cribbens in XXI