New Grub Street · Chapter
A Rescue and a Summons explained
Harold Biffen narrowly escapes a fire in his garret, rescuing his manuscript 'Mr.
What happens
Harold Biffen narrowly escapes a fire in his garret, rescuing his manuscript 'Mr. Bailey, Grocer' but losing his possessions. He visits Edwin Reardon, who lends him money and paper. Two days later, Reardon receives a telegram from his wife Amy that their son Willie is ill with diphtheria in Brighton, prompting him to rush to her despite his own poor health and the snowy weather.
Themes in this chapter
Poverty and Class
Biffen's extreme poverty is highlighted by his near-starvation, pawning possessions, and inability to afford a loaf of bread, while Reardon's financial struggles and impending clerkship at Croydon underscore the theme.
Artistic Integrity vs. Commercialism
Biffen's meticulous, laborious writing of 'Mr. Bailey, Grocer' without regard for commercial success contrasts with Jasper Milvain's pragmatic approach, embodying the tension between artistic purity and market demands.
Friendship and Betrayal
The deep bond between Reardon and Biffen is evident in their mutual support, with Reardon lending money and Biffen accompanying him to the station, contrasting with the potential betrayal implied by Amy's summons.
Characters to notice
- Edwin Reardon
In poor health and deep sadness, he lends Biffen money and paper, then receives a telegram from Amy about Willie's diphtheria and hurries to Brighton.
- Harold Biffen
Survives a fire in his garret, rescuing his manuscript 'Mr. Bailey, Grocer' but losing all his books and notes; he visits Reardon and later accompanies him to the station.
- Amy Reardon
Sends a telegram to Reardon from Brighton, where she is staying with Mrs. Carter, informing him that Willie is ill with diphtheria.
- Willie
The child of Amy and Edwin Reardon, reported ill with diphtheria in Brighton.
Key passages
“The chances are that you have neither understanding nor sympathy for men such as Edwin Reardon and Harold Biffen. They merely provoke you. They seem to you inert, flabby, weakly envious, foolishly obstinate, impiously mutinous, and many other things.”
You probably have no understanding or sympathy for men like Edwin Reardon and Harold Biffen; they only irritate you, appearing weak, lazy, envious, stubborn, rebellious, and worse.
The narrator directly addresses the reader, defending the worth of passive, non-competitive individuals like Reardon and Biffen against societal judgment.
“He had no thought of whether such toil would be recompensed in coin of the realm; nay, it was his conviction that, if with difficulty published, it could scarcely bring him money. The work must be significant, that was all he cared for.”
He never considered whether his hard work would be paid; in fact, he believed that even if published, it would hardly earn him money. He only cared that the work was meaningful.
Biffen's artistic integrity is emphasized, showing his dedication to literary quality over financial gain.
“The one happy result of my experiences, said Reardon, is that they have cured me of ambition. What a miserable fellow I should be if I were still possessed with the desire to make a name! I can't even recall very clearly that state of mind. My strongest desire now is for peaceful obscurity.”
Reardon says the only good outcome of his struggles is that he no longer has ambition; he would be miserable if he still wanted fame, and now he only wishes for quiet obscurity.
Reardon expresses resignation and a desire to escape the pressures of literary ambition, reflecting his disillusionment.