Kipps · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Kipps by H. G. Wells.
Chapter 1
Epigraph
The epigraph quotes from 'Manners and Rules of Good Society' by a Member of the Aristocracy, suggesting that the book will serve as a guide for those unfamiliar with the manners and amenities of polite society.
Chapter 2
Kipps
The opening chapter introduces Arthur Kipps as a simple, unassuming boy growing up in New Romney. It establishes his humble origins, his early education under Miss Mergle, and his apprenticeship as a draper under Mr. Shalford. The chapter sets the stage for Kipps' later struggles with social class and self-improvement.
Chapter 3
Book I: The Making of Kipps
This opening chapter introduces Arthur Kipps as a young boy in New Romney, detailing his humble beginnings, his time at the Woodcarving Class, and his early experiences as a draper's apprentice under Mr. Shalford. It sets the stage for his social aspirations and the formative events that shape his character.
Chapter 4
I: The Little Shop at New Romney
The chapter introduces Arthur Kipps' childhood at New Romney, living with his aunt and uncle after his mother's death. It describes his final days of school, his tentative first love for Ann Pornick, and his departure to become a draper's apprentice in Folkestone. The chapter ends with Ann chasing the bus to give him a half sixpence as a keepsake.
Chapter 5
II: The Emporium
Kipps begins his apprenticeship at Mr. Shalford's drapery emporium in Folkestone, enduring harsh conditions, fines, and long hours. He forms friendships with fellow employees like Buggins and Minton, and begins to develop romantic interests and social aspirations, including a desire to become a gentleman.
Chapter 6
III: The Woodcarving Class
Kipps attends a woodcarving class where he meets refined individuals like Chester Coote and the Walshinghams, feeling deeply inferior. He develops an intense, worshipful admiration for Helen Walshingham, seeing her as a symbol of a higher cultural world. Meanwhile, his general dissatisfaction with his own ignorance and social standing leads him to seek self-improvement through the Young Men's Association and dreams of becoming an author, inspired by conversations about the literary life. The chapter ends with the abrupt termination of the woodcarving class, leaving Kipps's aspirations and adoration unresolved.
Chapter 7
IV: Chitterlow
Kipps, despondent over losing his woodcarving class and his chance to see Helen Walshingham, is knocked down by a bicyclist named Harry Chitterlow. Chitterlow takes Kipps to his lodgings, where they drink whiskey and Chitterlow regales him with theatrical anecdotes, reads a scene from a farcical comedy, and sews up Kipps' torn trousers. Kipps stays late, missing his curfew, and leaves with Chitterlow.
Chapter 8
Swapped
Kipps wakes up with a hangover after a night out with Chitterlow, and returns to the Emporium to face Mr. Shalford. He is fired ("swapped") and must confront the reality of his situation, including his feelings for Helen Walshingham, whom he sees for what he believes is the last time.
Chapter 9
The Unexpected
Kipps, working at the Emporium, sees an advertisement in the paper that seems to be about him, but he is initially hesitant and anxious about responding. After some deliberation, he writes and posts a letter in reply. Later, he receives news that he has inherited a fortune of twelve hundred pounds a year, leading to an excited celebration among his colleagues at the shop.
Chapter 10
Book II: Mr. Coote, the Chaperon
Kipps, now a gentleman of fortune, is introduced to the social guidance of Chester Coote, who chaperons him through the intricacies of polite society. Coote advises Kipps on manners, dress, and conduct, while Kipps struggles to adapt to his new station. The chapter explores the tension between Kipps' humble origins and the pretensions of the class he aspires to join.
Chapter 11
The New Conditions
Kipps and Chester Coote discuss the challenges of Kipps' newfound wealth, including temptations, the need for refinement, and the desire for proper social guidance. Coote offers to mentor Kipps, becoming his friend and director in navigating higher society.
Chapter 12
The Walshinghams
Kipps visits the Cootes and then the Walshinghams, navigating social etiquette and attempting to improve himself through reading and conversation. He meets Helen Walshingham, who invites him to call again, and he struggles with self-doubt about his manners and appearance.
Chapter 13
Engaged
Kipps visits the Walshinghams to formalize his engagement to Helen. During tea, Helen begins to instruct Kipps on proper pronunciation, dress, and social ease, leaving him feeling inadequate and anxious. Afterward, Kipps consults Chester Coote and studies Manners and Rules to prepare for his new role. He returns to Mrs. Walshingham, who warmly accepts him, and the chapter ends with Kipps and Helen alone, awkwardly navigating their new relationship.
Chapter 14
IV: The Bicycle Manufacturer
Kipps, now engaged to Helen Walshingham, hires a motor car to visit his aunt and uncle in New Romney. He struggles to tell them about his engagement and future plans, but their conversation meanders through trivialities. He encounters Sid Pornick, now a bicycle manufacturer, and their reunion is awkward due to Kipps's newfound wealth and status. Sid feels diminished by Kipps's success and leaves without revealing his own achievements.
Chapter 15
V: The Pupil Lover
Kipps begins to realize the social incompatibilities created by his engagement to Helen Walshingham, as his old friends and relatives view his new status with suspicion. Helen takes him in hand, critiquing his accent, bearing, and associations, while he struggles to navigate the loss of his former friendships. The chapter explores the painful process of social advancement and the breaking of old ties.
Chapter 16
Discords
Kipps struggles with the incompatibility between his new life as a gentleman and his rekindled feelings for Ann Pornick, a servant from his past. After reuniting with Ann and reminiscing about their shared half-sixpence, he is torn between his engagement to Helen Walshingham and his attraction to Ann. Meanwhile, social pressures mount as Helen insists he participate in calls and an upcoming Anagram Tea, leading to conflict and anxiety.
Chapter 17
London
Kipps escapes to London to avoid a confrontation between his aunt and uncle and the Walshinghams. He explores the city, stays at the Royal Grand Hotel, and visits Masterman, who delivers a passionate critique of social inequality and the illusion that money brings happiness.
Chapter 18
VIII: Kipps Enters Society
Kipps attends an Anagram Tea at Mrs. Bindon Botting's house, hoping to navigate the social demands of his engagement to Helen Walshingham. He is shocked to find Ann Pornick working as a housemaid there. Overwhelmed by the pretentious gathering, he feels out of place and rebellious. After the tea, he receives a package from Ann containing the half sixpence she had kept since childhood, signaling her awareness of his engagement and her decision to break their connection. Later, at a dinner, Kipps struggles with his discomfort and the social pressures of his new life.
Chapter 19
IX: The Labyrinthodon
Kipps and Ann flee to London to Sid's house, announcing their intention to marry. Masterman approves, criticizing the futility of social climbing. They spend days before the wedding on excursions, and Kipps compares Chester Coote to a Labyrinthodon statue. They discuss their future simple life, rejecting pretension and socialism, and eventually marry with the blessing of the goddess of wedded love.
Chapter 20
Book III: Kippses
Kipps and Ann navigate their new life together, facing the challenges of social expectations and personal identity as they settle into marriage.
Chapter 21
I: The Housing Problem
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kipps, newly married, search for a home in Hythe and surrounding towns, confronting the harsh realities of the housing market and the social pressures of class and appearance. Their dream of a simple house clashes with the mean, pretentious, and inconvenient houses they view, leading Kipps to decide to build a house. The chapter satirizes house agents, speculative building, and the social system that makes finding a 'nice little house' nearly impossible.
Chapter 22
II: The Callers
Kipps and Ann sit at dinner discussing two postcards—one from young Walshingham, who has snubbed him, and one from Chitterlow, which is nearly illegible. Kipps broods over his social failures, his house-building anxieties, and his strained marriage. A petty quarrel over cards and buttered toast escalates into a silent, bitter standoff. The chapter ends with a narrator's reflection on the 'Beast' of stupidity and social conditioning that traps the Kippses in misery.
Chapter 23
Terminations
The chapter concludes Kipps' story with a reflective epilogue, showing him as a contented bookseller in Hythe, married to Ann with a child. It recounts his final interactions with Chitterlow, whose play becomes a success, and his financial recovery after losing his fortune, ending with a quiet row on the canal where he muses on life's strangeness.
