Poetry · Chapter
J. M. Sullivan explained
A brief limerick-style tribute to J.
What happens
A brief limerick-style tribute to J. M. Sullivan, president of the Standard Paper Bag Co. in Chicago, highlighting his initial obscurity to bankers and his eventual success through dedication to his product.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because the speaker confronts the painful realization that his child’s lov…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Work and Profession
The chapter focuses on J. M. Sullivan's professional identity and his dedication to the paper bag business.
- Money and Materialism
The limerick contrasts Sullivan's initial lack of recognition by bankers with his eventual financial success ('roll of his own').
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The narrator presents a limerick about J. M. Sullivan.
Key passages
“This gent in the picture here shown Was not to our bankers well known Till he put his whole soul In 'bags on the roll.' Now he has a roll of his own.”
The man in the photograph was unfamiliar to bankers until he devoted himself entirely to his roll-bag business; now he has his own fortune.
Summarizes the limerick's narrative of J. M. Sullivan's rise from obscurity to prosperity.
