# Dick — News from Nowhere character guide > Dick in News from Nowhere by William Morris. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Quoth Dick, poor Dick, I. Quoth Dick **First appearance:** 0001-ii-a-morning-bath ## Snapshot A sunlit boatman and eager guide, he ferries the bewildered narrator through a London he loves without ever fully understanding. ## Who they are Dick is the narrator's first friend in the new world, rowing him up the Thames and introducing him to kinsmen and neighbors with unguarded warmth. His reunion with Clara reveals a tender, flustered side beneath the cheerful competence, and his habit of deferring hard questions to older heads hints at the limits of his curiosity. He matters because his generosity makes the utopia feel lived-in rather than argued. ## Relationships ### [Robert the Weaver](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/characters/robert_the_weaver) _friendship_ Dick and Robert the Weaver are friends who collaborate in the communal work and social life. ### [Ellen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/characters/ellen) _friendship_ Dick and Ellen have a warm, platonic friendship, with Dick showing admiration for Ellen's spirit. ### [Ellen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/characters/ellen) _friendship_ Dick and Ellen have a warm, platonic friendship, with Dick showing admiration for Ellen's spirit. ## In the story ### [II: A Morning Bath](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/ii-a-morning-bath) The waterman who rows the narrator; he is handsome, friendly, and offers to be his guide. ### [The Guest House and the Breakfast Therein](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/iii-the-guest-house-and-the-breakfast-therein) The ferryman who accompanies the narrator to the Guest House and gently chides Robert for his intrusive questions. ### [IV: A Market by the Way](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/iv-a-market-by-the-way) Dick guides the narrator through Hammersmith, explains the market and theatre, and is puzzled by the narrator's question about poor people. ### [Children on the Road](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/v-children-on-the-road) Dick guides the Guest through Kensington, explains the repurposing of the Houses of Parliament, and describes how children learn through life and play rather than formal schooling. ### [VI: A Little Shopping](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/vi-a-little-shopping) Guides the Guest through Piccadilly, explains the market's function, and humorously but firmly discourages the Guest from changing his attire. He also briefly alludes to a recent tragic love affair. ### [VII: Trafalgar Square](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/vii-trafalgar-square) Dick explains the road-mending work, the history of Trafalgar Square, and the purpose of banded-workshops. ### [An Old Friend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/viii-an-old-friend) Dick guides the Guest, points out landmarks, and seems anxious or distracted, possibly hoping to meet someone at the market. ### [IX: Concerning Love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/ix-concerning-love) Brings the Guest to Old Hammond; is reunited with Clara, his former wife. ### [XV: On the Lack of Incentive to Labour in a Communist Society](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xv-on-the-lack-of-incentive-to-labour-in-a-communist-society) Mentioned as expected to arrive with Clara, but they do not appear during the conversation. ### [XVI: Dinner in the Hall of the Bloomsbury Market](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xvi-dinner-in-the-hall-of-the-bloomsbury-market) Dick defends the beauty of old fairy tales and childlike imagination, and engages in lover's banter with Clara. ### [XVIII: The Beginning of the New Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xviii-the-beginning-of-the-new-life) Dick and Clara arrive to fetch the Guest at the end of the chapter. ### [XIX: The Drive Back to Hammersmith](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xix-the-drive-back-to-hammersmith) Cheerful and practical, plans to take the Guest on a haymaking and harvest tour. ### [The Hammersmith Guesthouse Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xx-the-hammersmith-guesthouse-again) Drives the narrator back, warns off the weaver, and is celebrated for reuniting with Clara. ### [XXI: Going Up the River](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxi-going-up-the-river) Dressed in embroidered white flannel, rows the boat, and speaks enthusiastically about the hay-harvest and the beauty of the women working. ### [XXII: Hampton Court and a Praiser of Past Times](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxii-hampton-court-and-a-praiser-of-past-times) Dick rows the boat with tireless strength, expresses a preference for the open countryside over parks, and listens uncomfortably to the old man's praise of past times. ### [XXIII: An Early Morning by the Runnymede](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxiii-an-early-morning-by-the-runnymede) Dick jokes about the scene being like a fairy tale, calling Ellen a fairy and the old man a gnome, and shows affection for the idyllic morning. ### [XXIV: Up the Thames: The Second Day](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxiv-up-the-thames-the-second-day) Dick is the guide and friend, showing the narrator around and explaining the history of places like Eton. ### [XXV: The Third Day on the Thames](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxv-the-third-day-on-the-thames) Defends the traditional pound-lock for its beauty, and steers the boat while discussing the homicide case. ### [XXVI: The Obstinate Refusers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxvi-the-obstinate-refusers) Leads the group, engages in banter with the builders, and explains the concept of 'easy-hard work.' ### [XXVII: The Upper Waters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxvii-the-upper-waters) Dick engages in the discussion about the shift to handicraft, and later helps Ellen with her boat rudder. ### [XXVIII: The Little River](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxviii-the-little-river) Wants fairness in boat assignments but defers to Ellen's choice. ### [A Resting-Place on the Upper Thames](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxix-a-resting-place-on-the-upper-thames) Dick leads the group, calls for the midday meal, and later teases Ellen and the guest about their conversation. ### [The Journey's End](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxx-the-journey-s-end) Dick leads the boat party, enthusiastically points out landmarks, and greets the waiting friends. ### [XXXI: An Old House Amongst New Folk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxxi-an-old-house-amongst-new-folk) Appears briefly to greet the Guest and Ellen, suggests a swim before dinner, and leaves with Clara. ### [The Feast's Beginning … The End](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxxii-the-feast-s-beginning-the-end) Dick guides the Guest to the feast, shares his love for the earth and the seasons, and jokes about the Guest's influence on his thoughts. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/characters/dick - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/characters