The Luck of Ginger Coffey: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Luck of Ginger Coffey" delves into the complexities of its titular character, James Francis "Ginger" Coffey, an unemployed Irish immigrant in Canada. At thirty-nine, Ginger is characterized by his charm and optimism, yet he grapples with a lack of personal insight and responsibility, leading to a series of failures in his career and family life. His journey unfolds against the backdrop of his strained marriage to Veronica (Vera) Coffey, who, frustrated by Ginger's empty promises and seeking independence, contemplates leaving him for another man. Their daughter, Pauline, embodies the struggles of adolescence, caught between her parents' conflicts while seeking her own identity. The narrative also introduces supporting characters like Gerald (Gerry) Grosvenor, an aspiring suitor for Vera, and G. E. MacGregor, the authoritarian managing editor at Ginger's workplace, who adds dimension to the exploration of ambition, failure, and the quest for self-acceptance. Ultimately, the story navigates themes of deception, disappointment, and the possibility of reconciliation as Ginger confronts his shortcomings and re-evaluates his relationships. This character-driven analysis offers a poignant examination of the struggles faced by immigrants and the universal quest for fulfillment and connection.
The Luck of Ginger Coffey: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Brian Moore
First published: 1960
Genre: Novel
Locale: Montreal, Canada
Plot: Domestic realism
Time: January, 1956
James Francis “Ginger” Coffey, an unemployed Irish immigrant to Canada. A large, red-haired, thirty-nine-year-old with a full mustache, he is a well-meaning but unrealistically optimistic ne'er-do-well who affects the jaunty appearance of a Dublin squire, exuding charm and blarney. Essentially good at heart but without personal insight, he is irresponsible and thoughtless, habitually evading the truth, rationalizing away his shortcomings, and blaming others for his failures. Having left Ireland and a series of disappointing jobs, he settles in Montreal, expecting to find fame and fortune despite his general lack of qualifications. After a few months, his initial scheme fails, and he finds himself without money or job prospects and in the middle of a marital crisis, the result of fifteen years of inflated dreams, empty promises, and chronic prevarication. Caught in his own web of exaggerations, half-truths, and lies, he is forced to swallow his pride, confront the reality of his existence, and reevaluate his relationships with his wife and daughter. Circumstances and his conscious attempts to be more realistic, responsible, and self-sacrificing result in a clearer view of himself and his possibilities, as well as a reconciliation with his estranged wife.
Veronica (Vera) Coffey, Ginger's wife. A tall, dark-haired, attractive thirty-five-year-old, she is angry at Ginger and tired of being let down and taken for granted. Flattered and tempted by Gerry's offer of love and a new life, she leaves Ginger, finds a job, changes her hairstyle, and assumes a new attitude of independence. Concerned for her daughter Paulie, she maintains contact with Ginger. When Gerry refuses to help Ginger avoid a possible prison sentence, she is shocked; questioning the nature of Gerry's desire for her, she decides that she could not love him and returns to the chastened Ginger.
Pauline (Paulie) Coffey, Ginger's fourteen-year-old daughter. By turns selfish or loving, and oblivious or caring, Pauline is in a difficult period of transition. With loyalties divided between her quarreling parents and wanting to pursue her own interests free of supervision, she chooses to live with her overworked father. When Ginger disapproves of her behavior and choice of friends, she threatens to run off with her dis-reputable-looking older boyfriend, Bruno. Their recognition of her obvious potential for trouble helps reunite her parents.
Gerald (Gerry) Grosvenor, a successful political cartoonist and Veronica's would-be lover. A tall, neat, talkative, and popular thirty-year-old, he is the Coffeys' closest acquaintance in Canada and has been secretly in love with Veronica since their first meeting. He helps Ginger (who thinks of him as adolescent) get a job at the Tribune and later challenges him with his emotional and wholehearted fight to win Veronica.
G. E. MacGregor, the managing editor of the Tribune. A pale, thin, tough, tyrannical old Scot, he is feared and disliked by his employees, especially his nonunionized and exploited proofreaders. Quick to detect the falsehoods of others, he makes promises he has no intention of keeping.
Warren K. Wilson, an itinerant worker, a former deliveryman for the Tiny Ones diaper service. Approaching middle age, he is an avid follower of correspondence courses on self-improvement and dreams of a glamorous life as a magazine photographer.
William O'Brien (Billy) Davis, a proofreader at the Tribune. A white-goateed, frail, seventy-two-year-old who emigrated from Ireland at the age of twenty, he is ill and living in poverty, trying to subsist on a low-paying job that he is about to lose.
Fox, a proofreader at the Tribune, in charge of the night shift. Physically handicapped, intelligent, and cynical, he leads Coffey and the others on drinking bouts, despite having been a vagrant institutionalized for alcoholism a few years earlier.
A. K. Brott, the president of Tiny Ones diaper service. A testy, intense, hardworking entrepreneur, he believes in Ginger and offers to make him his personal assistant, thus renewing Ginger's faith in Canada and himself.
Stanley Mountain, the delivery depot manager for Tiny Ones. A fat, white-haired former Royal Canadian Air Force transport officer, he tries to maintain a military-type operation at the diaper service.
Michel Beaulieu, the five-year-old son of Ginger's landlord. He often seeks out Ginger for companionship and affection, which he returns when Ginger feels most alone.