Family and Orphanhood

Where it surfaces

• The Maid of Sker

  Bardie's orphaned status and her relationship with Davy highlight themes of belonging and care.

• Hunger Drives Him A-Fishing

  Davy's grief over losing his wife and son, and his responsibility for his orphaned granddaughter Bunny, drive the chapter's emotional core.

• The Fish Are as Hungry as He Is

  Davy's concern for Bunny and his lonely cottage life underscores his role as a caretaker and his own orphaned state.

• He Lands an Unexpected Fish

  The appearance of a lone infant adrift at sea introduces themes of abandonment and the creation of an unconventional family bond.

• V: A Little Orphan Mermaid

  Bardie is orphaned by shipwreck, and Davy becomes her reluctant caretaker, reflecting on family loss and responsibility.

• Finds a Home of Some Sort

  Bardie, an orphan from the sea, is taken in by Davy and Moxy, highlighting themes of makeshift family and care for the abandoned.

• VIII: Children Will Be Children

  Bardie's separation from her family and her longing for her parents, contrasted with Davy's paternal concern and the Thomas family's makeshift care.

• Under the Rock

  Davy's concern for Bardie and Bunny, and his memory of his dead son Harry, emphasize themes of family, care, and loss.

• XI: A Wrecker Wrecked

  Davy cares for Bardie and Bunny as surrogate family, while Watkin fears the loss of his brothers.

• In Accordance with the Evidence

  Bardie's vulnerability as an orphan is central; Davy acts as her protector, and the dead baby is speculated to be her twin brother.

• For a Little Change of Air

  Davy's decision to keep Bardie reflects a makeshift family bond, as Bardie longs for her parents and brother.

• XVIII: Public Approbation

  Davy's tender care for Bardie, including her bedtime prayers, underscores the theme of found family and the innocence of the orphaned child.

• Confidential Intercourse

  Bardie's separation from her family and her longing for her mother and brother are central, as she confides in her doll.

• Another Disappointment

  Davy cares for Bunny and Bardie as an 'ancient widower,' and Sir Philip's gift is meant for the orphaned maid, emphasizing the theme of orphanhood and care.

• Into Good Society

  Bardie is an orphan who declares she has no relations, and Lady Bluett's lost child creates a bond of sympathy.

• Sound Investments

  Bardie and Bunny are orphans under Davy's care; the chapter explores surrogate family dynamics and the responsibilities of guardianship.

• XXXIII: In a State of Nature

  Chowne's early life marked by betrayal by guardians, stepmother, and uncle; loss of a beloved cousin; and three childless marriages.

• Two Poor Children

  Drake Bampfylde, as a younger son, is disadvantaged by birth order and suffers from lack of familial support, while Bardie is a poor child eliciting pity.

• A Fine Old Gentleman

  Davy's fond memories of Bardie and his concern for Bunny reflect themes of orphanhood and surrogate family bonds.

• Forcible Ejectment

  Davy's deep concern for Bardie and Bunny, who are neglected and underfed, drives his actions.

• The Little Maid, and the Midshipman

  Davy cares for Bardie and Bunny, while Rodney's family (his uncle and mother) are involved in his naval aspirations.

• XLIII: A Fine Price for Bardie

  The backstory of Rees ap Rees and his orphaned nieces underscores themes of familial estrangement, loss, and the vulnerability of children.

• Provides for Education

  Davy provides for Bunny and Bardie, both orphans, ensuring their education and welfare before his departure.

• After Seven Years

  The Captain's anguish over his brother's betrayal and Heaviside's domestic struggles highlight themes of family bonds and their failures.

• Mischief in a Household

  The chapter explores the strained relationship between Sir Philip and his son Squire Philip, as well as Isabel's departure from the household, emphasizing familial bonds and their fractures.

• One Who Has Interred Himself

  Sir Philip's emotional response to the tokens of his son underscores themes of family loss and paternal grief.

• A Brave Man Runs Away

  Davy's reunion with his granddaughter Bunny and his concern for the two poor little children he intended to investigate underscore the importance of family bonds and the vulnerability of orphans.

• Triple Education

  Bardie's orphanhood is central: she longs for a home and parents, and is dependent on the charity of others, which causes her both gratitude and shame.

• Great March of Intellect

  Bardie's growing awareness of her orphaned state and her search for belonging among her suitors.

• Many Weak Moments

  Bardie's devoted care for Davy highlights a surrogate family bond; the Maid of Sker's mysterious identity underscores orphanhood.

• In a Rocky Bower

  Bardie's nameless origin and her fear of being scorned due to her derelict birth are central to her character's conflict.

• LXI: A Savage Deed

  The kidnapping of Sir Philip Bampfylde's grandchildren disrupts their family; Harry Savage grows up unaware of his true identity.

• LXII: A Rash Young Captain

  Davy's mission to restore Sir Philip Bampfylde's family and Bardie's rightful place underscores the theme.

• LXIV: Susan Quite Acquits Herself

  The disappearance of the twin children and the subsequent collapse of the family, with Squire Philip retreating into grief.

• LXVI: The Maid at Last Is 'Dentified'

  The central theme of the chapter: the restoration of a lost granddaughter to her family, resolving years of separation and uncertainty.

• The Old Pitcher at the Well Again

  Chowne's gypsy origins and his attack on his grandfather underscore broken family ties; Sir Philip's death affects the Bampfylde lineage.