# Job Trotter — The Pickwick Papers character guide

> Job Trotter in The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Job, Trotter, Mr. Trotter, Mr. Job Trotter, Job Trotter

**First appearance:** 0002-i

## Snapshot

Jingle's soft-spoken, tearful manservant, whose meek demeanor is a mask for sly complicity in his master's theatrical swindles.

## Who they are

Job Trotter moves through the novel as the quiet shadow to Alfred Jingle's loud, staccato schemer, forever weeping, bowing, and slipping free of blame. His genius is for performance: he can weep on cue, feign loyalty, and turn a servant's humility into a weapon, which makes him indispensable to Jingle and dangerous to the Pickwickians. His double act with his master gives the early misadventures at Rochester and Bury St. Edmunds their comic menace.

## Relationships

### [Samuel Pickwick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/characters/samuel_pickwick)

_rivalry_

Job Trotter is a cunning and deceitful servant of Alfred Jingle who repeatedly schemes against Pickwick.

### [Samuel Pickwick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/characters/samuel_pickwick)

_rivalry_

Job Trotter is a cunning and deceitful servant of Alfred Jingle who repeatedly schemes against Pickwick.

### [Samuel Pickwick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/characters/samuel_pickwick)

_rivalry_

Job Trotter is a cunning and deceitful servant of Alfred Jingle who repeatedly schemes against Pickwick.

## In the story

### [A New Acquaintance—The Stroller's Tale—A Disagreeable Interruption, and an Unpleasant Encounter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/iii)

Not present in this chapter.

### [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/xvi)

Deceptively weeps and persuades Mr. Pickwick to enter the garden alone, setting up the trap.

### [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/xx)

Identified by Tony Weller as the black-haired man in mulberry livery traveling to Ipswich with Jingle.

### [In which Mr. Samuel Weller begins to devote his energies to the return match between himself and Mr. Trotter.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/xxiii)

Attempts to disguise himself with grimaces but is recognized by Sam.

### [Chapter XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/xxv)

Accompanies Jingle and is also expelled, displaying sly amusement.

### [XLII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/xlii)

Enters the poor side room carrying a small piece of mutton, recognized by Mr. Pickwick despite his rags and dirt.

### [Chapter XLV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/xlv)

Job guides Mr. Pickwick and Sam to a 'whistling-shop' within the prison and shows deference to Sam's role as Mr. Pickwick's servant.

### [XLVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/xlvi)

Sent by Sam to run to Mr. Perker's office.

### [XLVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/xlvii)

Delivers message about Mrs. Bardell's execution; sent to Mr. Pell for the formal discharge.

### [LIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/chapters/liii)

Job Trotter accompanies Jingle in their departure, showing gratitude to Mr. Pickwick.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/characters/job_trotter
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_pickwick_papers_se/characters