# Mr. Button — The Blue Lagoon character guide > Mr. Button in The Blue Lagoon by H. de Vere Stacpoole. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** the Slush Lamp Burns Mr. Button, the unfortunate Mr. Button, Till Mr. Button **First appearance:** 0001-part-i-i-where-the-slush-lamp-burns ## Who they are An old Irish sailor who steers the drifting dinghy, spins tall tales to amuse the children, and finds what everyone else loses. ## Relationships ### [Dick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/dick) _family_ Mr. Button is Dick's father, providing guidance and authority before his death. ### [Emmeline](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/emmeline) _family_ Mr. Button is Emmeline's father, caring for her as a parent. ### [Paddy Button](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/paddy_button) _family_ Mr. Button and Paddy Button are brothers, sharing a familial bond. ### [Emmeline](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/emmeline) _family_ Mr. Button is Emmeline's father, caring for her as a parent. ### [Paddy Button](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/paddy_button) _family_ Mr. Button and Paddy Button are brothers, sharing a familial bond. ### [Emmeline](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/emmeline) _family_ Mr. Button is Emmeline's father, caring for her as a parent. ### [Dick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/dick) _family_ Mr. Button is Dick's father, providing guidance and authority before his death. ### [Dick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/dick) _family_ Mr. Button is Dick's father, providing guidance and authority before his death. ### [Paddy Button](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/paddy_button) _family_ Mr. Button and Paddy Button are brothers, sharing a familial bond. ## In the story ### [Book I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/book-i) Mentioned in the context of the ship's crew and the disaster. ### [I: Where the Slush Lamp Burns](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-i-i-where-the-slush-lamp-burns) The old Irish sailor, playing fiddle and telling tales of leprechauns, reflecting on his life and drinking. ### [IV: And Like a Dream Dissolved](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-i-iv-and-like-a-dream-dissolved) Paddy Button rows the dinghy with desperate energy after recalling the blasting powder in the hold, making grimaces that betray his inner terror despite his comical appearance. ### [V: Voices Heard in the Mist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-i-v-voices-heard-in-the-mist) Takes charge of the dinghy, comforts Emmeline and Dick, sings an old lullaby, and rows blindly through the fog, growing increasingly isolated and fearful. ### [VI: Dawn on a Wide, Wide Sea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-i-vi-dawn-on-a-wide-wide-sea) Tries to comfort the children with stories and humor, reflects on his past voyages, and struggles to locate the other boats. ### [Story of the Pig and the Billy-Goat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-i-vii-story-of-the-pig-and-the-billy-goat) Tells stories to entertain the children, including the tale of the pig and the billy-goat. ### [VIII: “S-H-E-N-A-N-D-O-A-H”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-i-viii-s-h-e-n-a-n-d-o-a-h) Leads the boarding of the Shenandoah, salvages items, and expresses disgust at book-learning. ### [IX: Shadows in the Moonlight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-i-ix-shadows-in-the-moonlight) Tells the tale of Buck M'Cann, then becomes pensive and fearful as he recalls his past and senses something amiss. ### [XI: The Island](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-ii-xi-the-island) Leads the escape from the brig, navigates the dinghy through the reef, and worries about the island being inhabited. ### [XII: The Lake of Azure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-ii-xii-the-lake-of-azure) Leads the landing, carries Emmeline ashore, finds fresh water and bananas, and plans to build a shelter for the night. ### [XIII: Death Veiled with Lichen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-ii-xiii-death-veiled-with-lichen) Leads the exploration, discovers the skull, warns the children about poisonous berries, and scans the horizon. ### [XIV: Echoes of Fairyland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-ii-xiv-echoes-of-fairyland) Tells stories about fairies and Cluricaunes, sharing folklore from his homeland. He tethers Emmeline for her safety. ### [Fair Pictures in the Blue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-ii-xv-fair-pictures-in-the-blue) Chases Dick with trousers, insists on the children bathing naked, and provides for them by fishing and cooking on the beach. ### [XVI: The Poetry of Learning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-iii-xvi-the-poetry-of-learning) Reluctantly learns to write his name, plays marbles, and is persuaded to build a bamboo house despite preferring rest. ### [XVII: The Devil's Cask](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-iii-xvii-the-devil-s-cask) Hides the children from the whaling ship and later rejoices at finding the rum. ### [XIX: Starlight on the Foam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-iii-xix-starlight-on-the-foam) Struggles with temptation, hides the rum cask, and eventually gives in to drink, leading to a dangerous swim across the lagoon. ### [XXII: Alone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/part-iii-xxii-alone) His dead body is the source of the children's terror, described as a festering carcass on a coral ledge. ### [I: Mad Lestrange](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/chapters/i-mad-lestrange) The old sailor adrift with the children in Lestrange's vision. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters/mr_button - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_lagoon_se/characters