# Chapter 17 explained — Barnaby Rudge > Chapter companion for Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens. ## What happens In this chapter, Barnaby returns home from a day of adventure with Hugh and Grip, full of excitement and tales of their exploits. His mother, however, is deeply anxious and fearful, haunted by a secret. A mysterious man, revealed to be the robber from the Chigwell road, forces his way into the widow's home, demanding food and shelter. He threatens her, revealing a dark connection to her past and a hold over her through her son. The chapter ends with the widow praying for divine protection for Barnaby, as the man leaves with a warning of revenge. ## Themes in this chapter ### Guilt and Retribution The widow's secret past and the man's threat of revenge highlight the theme of guilt and the fear of retribution that haunts her. ### Madness and Perception Barnaby's visions and his mother's fear of his perception of reality underscore the theme of madness and the blurred line between what is real and imagined. ### Parental Love and Sacrifice The widow's desperate prayer for her son's protection, even as she faces a threat, exemplifies the theme of parental love and sacrifice. ## Character check-ins ### Barnaby Rudge Returns home from a day of adventure with Hugh and Grip, full of excitement and tales of their exploits. His mother's fear unsettles him, and he shows signs of his recurring visions. ### Mrs. Rudge The widow is deeply anxious and fearful, haunted by a secret. She is confronted by the robber from the Chigwell road, who threatens her and reveals a hold over her through her son. ### Grip Barnaby's raven, who accompanies him on his adventures and shows a keen awareness of the stranger's presence, watching him intently. ### Hugh Mentioned as having been with Barnaby during the day's adventures, though not present in the chapter. ### The Blind Man The mysterious companion who forces his way into the widow's home, revealed to be the robber from the Chigwell road. He threatens her and hints at a dark connection to her past. ## Key lines > But Barnaby sprung lightly in without assistance, and putting his arms about her neck, kissed her a hundred times. Barnaby jumped in easily and hugged his mother, kissing her many times. _Shows Barnaby's affectionate and childlike nature._ > The raven, in his little basket at his master’s back, hearing this frequent mention of his name in a tone of exultation, expressed his sympathy by crowing like a cock, and afterwards running over his various phrases of speech with such rapidity, and in so many varieties of hoarseness, that they sounded like the murmurs of a crowd of people. The raven, hearing his name praised, crowed and then rapidly repeated his phrases in many hoarse voices, sounding like a crowd. _Highlights Grip's intelligence and the bond between him and Barnaby._ > He takes such care of me besides! Such care, mother! He watches all the time I sleep, and when I shut my eyes and make-believe to slumber, he practises new learning softly; but he keeps his eye on me the while, and if he sees me laugh, though never so little, stops directly. He takes great care of me, watching me while I sleep and practicing his lessons quietly, but stops if he sees me laugh. _Shows Grip's protective and attentive nature toward Barnaby._ > The listener held the door of his hiding-place open with his hand, and closely watched her son. The hidden man held the door open and watched Barnaby closely. _Reveals the presence of the mysterious man in the room._ > Grip—alive to everything his master was unconscious of—had his head out of the basket, and in return was watching him intently with his glistening eye. Grip, aware of things Barnaby didn't notice, watched the man intently. _Shows Grip's heightened perception compared to Barnaby._ > You are frightened! Mother—you don’t see— You're scared! Mother, you don't see— _Barnaby notices his mother's fear and begins to question what she sees._ > I am afraid there is, somewhere. You make my hair stand on end, and my flesh creep. Why do you look like that? Is it in the room as I have seen it in my dreams, dashing the ceiling and the walls with red? Tell me. Is it? I'm afraid it's somewhere. You're making me scared. Is it in the room like in my dreams, splashing red on the walls? Tell me. _Barnaby's fear and visions of blood are triggered by his mother's anxiety._ > He fell into a shivering fit as he put the question, and shutting out the light with his hands, sat shaking in every limb until it had passed away. He started shaking uncontrollably and covered his eyes, trembling until the fit passed. _Depicts Barnaby's physical reaction to his visions._ > But let us see, he said, thoughtfully. Were we talking? Was it you and me? Where have we been? But let's see, he said thoughtfully. Were we talking? Was it you and me? Where have we been? _Barnaby's confusion and memory lapses are evident._ > Observe, he whispered in the widow’s ear: In him, of whose existence I was ignorant until tonight, I have you in my power. Be careful how you use me. Be careful how you use me. I am destitute and starving, and a wanderer upon the earth. I may take a sure and slow revenge. He whispered to the widow that through her son, he had power over her, and warned her to be careful, as he was destitute and could take revenge. _The man reveals his leverage over the widow through Barnaby._ > There is some dreadful meaning in your words. I do not fathom it. There's some terrible meaning in your words. I don't understand it. _The widow is confused and frightened by his threat._ > There is a meaning in them, and I see you fathom it to its very depth. You have anticipated it for years; you have told me as much. I leave you to digest it. Do not forget my warning. There is a meaning, and I see you understand it fully. You've known it for years. I'll leave you to think about it. Don't forget my warning. _The man implies that the widow has long known about this threat._ > Oh Thou, she cried, who hast taught me such deep love for this one remnant of the promise of a happy life, out of whose affliction, even, perhaps the comfort springs that he is ever a relying, loving child to me—never growing old or cold at heart, but needing my care and duty in his manly strength as in his cradle-time—help him, in his darkened walk through this sad world, or he is doomed, and my poor heart is broken! She prayed to God, who had given her deep love for her son, asking for help for him in his dark path, or else he would be doomed and her heart would break. _The widow's prayer reveals her deep love and fear for Barnaby's fate._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barnaby_rudge_se/chapters/chapter-17 - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barnaby_rudge_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barnaby_rudge_se/chapters