Sinister Street · Character
Maurice Avery
Michael's charismatic Oxford friend, perpetually smoking and effortlessly adored, whose Godalming home embodies a facile suburban world Michael can barely tolerate a week of.
supporting
Also known as Avery
First appearance: i the first day
As a supporting figure in Sinister Street, Maurice Avery is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
A friend and influence on Michael's social and intellectual development.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
At High Towers, Maurice is smothered in adulation by a stockbroker father who refuses to age and a mother who spoils the dogs when her men are away. Michael finds the whole Surrey idyll oppressive—light-green Lovat…
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The fuller portrait of Maurice Avery sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Maurice Avery in i the first dayCharacter Web
32 connectionsA slice of how Maurice Avery sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- School and Family Circle
- Slum and Servant Connections
- Extended Family and Diverse Acquaintances
- Oxford Contemporaries and Eccentrics
- Social and Athletic Acquaintances
+27 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
This passage functions as the dramatic climax because it marks the moment when the author explicitly breaks th…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Michael Fane
friendship · positive
Maurice is Michael's witty and cynical Oxford friend, acting as a foil to Michael's… How this plays out →
- Michael Fane
friendship · positive
Maurice is Michael's witty and cynical Oxford friend, acting as a foil to Michael's… How this plays out →
- Michael Fane
friendship · positive
Maurice is Michael's witty and cynical Oxford friend, acting as a foil to Michael's… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Maurice Avery in i the first dayIn the story
Maurice Avery appears across 12 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- Sinister Street
- VIII: Siamese Stamps
- The First Term
- Youth's Domination
- VII: Venner’s
- VIII: The Oxford Looking-Glass
- IX: The Lesson of Spain
- 202 High
- +4 more
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Maurice Avery unlock in the free preview.
See Maurice Avery in i the first day