Short Fiction · Character

Mr. Brown

A reluctant traveler who pleads a weak throat to avoid his wife's family Christmas, Mr. Brown turns a journey to Thompson Hall into a comedy of evasion.

supporting

Also known as Brown, Dear Mr. Brown, Nevertheless Mr. Brown, Mrs. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Here Mr. Brown

First appearance: Mr. Brown the Hairdresser

As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, Mr. Brown is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

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Mr. Brown has spent nearly eight years of marriage avoiding Christmas in England, preferring the mild air of Pau to the clamorous festivities of his wife's Thompson relations. When a summons from the family's newly elected MP makes the visit unavoidable, he drags his feet through every town from Bordeaux to Paris, complaining of bronchitis while eating hearty dinners and scolding waiters in a voice too clear to be believed. His wife, who sees through the performance, presses on toward Thompson Hall, setting up the marital tug-of-war that drives the story.

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See Mr. Brown in Mr. Brown the Hairdresser

Character Web

26 connections

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

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Humorous Mistaken Identity
Dramatic Island Stories
Rural Romance & Family
Protagonist

+21 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

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

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Bessy Pryor’s internal struggle reaches its emotional and psychological peak as she wrestles with the conflict…

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In the story

Mr. Brown appears across 17 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Miss Ophelia Gledd
Referred to as 'Mr. Pryor' in the chapter; an Englishman who is a potential suitor of Miss Gledd. He is mentioned as having not yet fixed a day to return to England, and his relationship with Miss Gledd is a point of contention.
Josephine de Montmorenci
The editor who corresponds with and eventually meets the aspiring novelist, showing a mix of professional skepticism and personal curiosity.
III: Showing How Isabel Lownd Told a Lie
Referred to as 'Barty' (Barty Crossgrain), the old man whose fear in the pulpit startled Isabel.
Christmas at Thompson Hall
Mistakes a stranger for her husband in the dark.
Christmas at Thompson Hall
Husband of Mrs. Brown, involved in the misunderstanding.
Mrs. Brown’s Success
Suffering from a sore throat and anxious about the journey to Thompson Hall; pleads for relief.
Mrs. Brown’s Success
Devoted wife who braves the hotel at night to fetch mustard for her husband; proud of her reputation as 'La Fière Anglaise'.
II: Mrs. Brown’s Failure
The protagonist of the chapter, who undertakes a late-night errand for her husband, mistakenly applies a mustard plaster to a stranger, and struggles with guilt and exhaustion.
II: Mrs. Brown’s Failure
Mrs. Brown's husband, who claims to be ill but sleeps soundly, leading her to doubt his sincerity.
III: Mrs. Brown Attempts to Escape
Desperate to escape after mistakenly applying a mustard poultice to a stranger; lies to her husband and insists on an early departure.
III: Mrs. Brown Attempts to Escape
Ill and querulous, reluctant to travel; eventually yields to his wife's insistence.
Mrs. Brown Does Escape
Husband of Mrs. Brown; initially angry but later believes her story about the mistaken mustard plaster.
Mrs. Brown Does Escape
The lady who mistakenly enters Mr. Jones's room and applies a mustard plaster; she is distressed and veiled throughout the journey.
Mrs. Brown at Thompson Hall
Arrives at Thompson Hall with her husband, eager to reunite with her family, and tries to smooth over the awkwardness with Mr. Jones.
Mrs. Brown at Thompson Hall
Travels with his wife to Thompson Hall, perplexed by the coincidence of Mr. Jones also being a guest, and attempts to apologize for the mustard incident.
The Telegraph Girl
A supervisor or senior figure at the telegraph office, interacting with Sophy.
Mr. Brown the Hairdresser
Abraham Hall, the hairdresser; shows kindness and sternness toward Lucy; secures a job in the Forest of Dean and leaves London.

Chapter companion notes

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See Mr. Brown in Mr. Brown the Hairdresser