# John Canty — The Prince and the Pauper character guide

> John Canty in The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Canty, John

**First appearance:** 0005-ii-tom-s-early-life

## Who they are

Tom's father, a brute of Offal Court who beats his son for begging poorly and sees every boy as either profit or prey.

## Relationships

### [Edward VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/edward_vi)

_rivalry_

John Canty is a brutal antagonist who pursues Edward with violent intent after the prince is mistaken for Tom.

### [Tom Canty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/tom_canty)

_family_

John Canty is Tom's abusive father who beats and exploits him.

### [Edward VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/edward_vi)

_rivalry_

John Canty is a brutal antagonist who pursues Edward with violent intent after the prince is mistaken for Tom.

### [Tom Canty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/tom_canty)

_family_

John Canty is Tom's abusive father who beats and exploits him.

### [Edward VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/edward_vi)

_rivalry_

John Canty is a brutal antagonist who pursues Edward with violent intent after the prince is mistaken for Tom.

### [Tom Canty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/tom_canty)

_family_

John Canty is Tom's abusive father who beats and exploits him.

## In the story

### [The Prince and the Pauper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/the-prince-and-the-pauper)

Tom's abusive father, a thief and a drunkard, who forces Tom to beg and beats him.

### [II: Tom’s Early Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/ii-tom-s-early-life)

Tom's father, a thief and drunkard who beats Tom and his mother regularly.

### [IV: The Prince's Troubles Begin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/iv-the-prince-s-troubles-begin)

Finds the prince in the street, claims him as his son, and drags him away despite the prince's protests.

### [The Prince in the Toils](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/x-the-prince-in-the-toils)

Violent father who drags Edward home, beats him, and later forces the family to flee after Father Andrew is killed. He keeps hold of Edward during the escape.

### [XII: The Prince and His Deliverer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xii-the-prince-and-his-deliverer)

Attempts to seize the prince on London Bridge but is blocked by Miles Hendon.

### [XIII: The Disappearance of the Prince](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xiii-the-disappearance-of-the-prince)

Implied as the 'ruffian-looking man' who joins the youth and the king on the bridge.

### [Foo-Foo the First](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xvii-foo-foo-the-first)

Disguised as a lame ruffian, recaptures the king, reveals he has committed a murder, and forces the king to join the gang under the alias John Hobbs.

### [The Prince with the Tramps](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xviii-the-prince-with-the-tramps)

Commanded to keep away from Edward by the Ruffler, but still present in the troop.

### [XIX: The Prince with the Peasants](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xix-the-prince-with-the-peasants)

Arrives at the farmhouse with a peddler's pack, accompanied by Hugo, causing the king to flee.

### [Hendon to the Rescue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xxi-hendon-to-the-rescue)

Appears at the end of the chapter with Hugo, freeing the king from the hermit's bonds and dragging him away.

### [XXII: A Victim of Treachery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xxii-a-victim-of-treachery)

John Canty is mentioned as one of the tramps who dislikes the king and assists Hugo in his schemes.

### [In Prison](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xxvii-in-prison)

Not directly present but referenced as the father of Tom Canty; not a focus in this chapter.

### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/conclusion)

Tom Canty's father is never heard of again after the events of the story.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/john_canty
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters