Short Fiction · Character
Mr. Fotheringay
A draper's assistant who discovers, in the small hours of an ordinary night, that his will can command miracles — and that this power is far more troubling than wonderful.
major
Also known as Fotheringay
First appearance: The Man Who Could Work Miracles
As a major figure in Short Fiction, Mr. Fotheringay is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
The man with the withered arm, one of the three custodians who repeatedly warns the narrator.
Mr. Fotheringay is an unremarkable shopman whose mind is not complex enough to be paralysed by the strangeness of what he can do, and so he simply experiments: a raised candle, a match willed into being, a glass of water turned pink and then green. His first scare gives way to pride in his singularity and vague intimations of advantage, though he has no idea what to do with such power. His blundering attempts to fit miracles into the routine of Gomshott's and his own small life drive the story's central comedy and its quiet menace.
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Character Web
11 connectionsA slice of how Mr. Fotheringay sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Miracles and misunderstandings
- Protagonist
- Strange cures and obsessions
- Prehistoric survival story
+6 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the protagonist realizes the green door and its enchanted gar…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingIn the story
Mr. Fotheringay appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Mr. Fotheringay unlock in the free preview.
See Mr. Fotheringay in The Man Who Could Work Miracles