Short Fiction · Character
Ernie Meeker
A button man from an art group who insists he believes in monogamy, even as the woman he meets casually inventories her five husbands and their co-wives.
major
Also known as Ernie, Ernest Wenceslaus Meeker
First appearance: later than you think
As a major figure in Short Fiction, Ernie Meeker is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Protagonist experiencing unsettling mental enhancements and paranoia; discards the blue box and struggles with the implications of the Gifts.
Ernie — called Tom Dorset in the scene — is a button man from an art group, wary of discussing the Vacation Fellowships and their nervous little cabins. He confesses to Lois Wolver that he sometimes wonders if anyone can love anyone, yet protests that he genuinely believes in monogamy. His uneasiness grows as her strange clothes, odd words, and talk of kwives make her seem almost spectral, pulling him toward a group he never expected to meet.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
13 connectionsA slice of how Ernie Meeker sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Friendship
- Other
Character groups
- Doctor, narrator, and brassy female
- Core character ensemble
- Protagonist
+8 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This moment is the story's dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of the pro…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Simon Great
friendship · positive
Ernie and Simon are close drinking buddies who share a rough camaraderie. How this plays out →
- Simon Great
friendship · positive
Ernie and Simon are close drinking buddies who share a rough camaraderie. How this plays out →
- Simon Great
friendship · positive
Ernie and Simon are close drinking buddies who share a rough camaraderie. How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Ernie Meeker in later than you thinkIn the story
Ernie Meeker 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 Ernie Meeker unlock in the free preview.
See Ernie Meeker in later than you think