A Handful of Dust: Analysis of Major Characters
"A Handful of Dust" is a novel by Evelyn Waugh that delves into the complexities of its major characters, particularly within the context of personal disillusionment and societal expectations. The story centers on Anthony Last, known as Tony, a young Englishman whose aspiration is to restore his ancestral home, Hetton Abbey, only to find his life unraveling due to his wife's infidelity and subsequent divorce request. Brenda Last, Tony's wife, becomes disenchanted with their marriage and engages in a relationship with John Beaver, a young bachelor whose lack of ambition contributes to the story’s themes of moral decay. The tragic death of their son, John Andrew, during a fox hunt serves as a pivotal moment for Brenda, ultimately prompting her to seek a divorce. Other characters, such as Jock Grant-Menzies, who marries Brenda after Tony's disappearance, and Dr. Messinger, an explorer who ventures into the jungle with Tony, add layers to the narrative of disappointment and societal critique. The character of Todd, an illiterate trader obsessed with Charles Dickens, further emphasizes the absurdity of Tony's plight during his captivity. This exploration of relationships, ambition, and loss invites readers to reflect on the characters' motivations and the broader commentary on 20th-century British society.
A Handful of Dust: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Evelyn Waugh
First published: 1934
Genre: Novel
Locale: England
Plot: Social satire
Time: Twentieth century
Anthony Last, called Tony, a young Englishman whose dream is to restore his Hetton Abbey to its feudal glory. He does not suspect his wife's infidelity until she informs him of it and asks for a divorce. Agreeing at first, he becomes angry at her family's greed for alimony and refuses to give her a divorce. To get away, he goes on an expedition to the jungles of South America. There he contracts a fever and is nursed back to health by a trader who keeps Tony a permanent prisoner, forcing him to read and reread aloud the works of Charles Dickens interminably. Finally, Tony is declared officially dead. His abbey passes on to a cousin; his wife moves on to a new husband.
Brenda Last, Tony's wife. Bored with their life, she takes a room in London and has an affair with a selfish young man who loses interest when Brenda can obtain neither money nor a divorce. After Tony is declared dead, she marries another of his bachelor friends.
John Beaver, a worthless young bachelor whose social success consists chiefly in his availability as an extra man. He has an affair with Brenda but later discards her.
Mrs. Beaver, his mother, an interior decorator. She rents Brenda the one-room flat from which Brenda conducts her affair with John; after Tony's disappearance, with Brenda unable to get his money, she refuses Brenda's application for a job.
John Andrew Last, Brenda and Tony's son. He is killed while fox hunting, when his mount is struck by a runaway horse. Receiving the news of his death, Brenda at first thinks that John Beaver is being discussed. Learning that her son is the one who is killed, she is relieved;, thus realizing how much she cares for Beaver, she resolves to get a divorce.
Jock Grant-Menzies, Tony's friend, whom Brenda marries after Tony's disappearance.
Dr. Messinger, the explorer with whom Tony sets out on his travels. Deserted by their Indian guides, he and Tony venture down a jungle river in hopes it will lead them out. Dr. Messinger leaves the delirious Tony on shore and goes on for help, but the boat capsizes, and he drowns.
Todd, an illiterate trader who loves Dickens' novels. After finding Tony and nursing him back to health, Todd keeps him a prisoner so that he can spend his life hearing Tony read Dickens over and over.