Poetry · Chapter
The Spirit of a Sponge explained
The narrator dreams of Stephen Massett's death and his attempt to enter Heaven by impersonating 'Jeems Pipes of Pipesville.' Saint Peter is deceived and opens the gates, but Massett is lured away by the smell of broiling from below and choo
What happens
The narrator dreams of Stephen Massett's death and his attempt to enter Heaven by impersonating 'Jeems Pipes of Pipesville.' Saint Peter is deceived and opens the gates, but Massett is lured away by the smell of broiling from below and chooses to go to Hell instead.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Self-Deception
Massett deceives Saint Peter with a false name to gain entry to Heaven.
Hypocrisy and Corruption
The ease with which Massett tricks the heavenly gatekeeper suggests corruption in the celestial order.
Characters to notice
- Saint Peter
Deceived by Massett's false identity, he opens the gates of Heaven.
- Unknown
The dreamer who recounts the story of Stephen Massett.
Key passages
“I dreamed one night that Stephen Massett died, And for admission up at Heaven applied. 'Who are you?' asked St. Peter. Massett said: 'Jeems Pipes, of Pipesville.' Peter bowed his head, Opened the gates and said: 'I'm glad to know you, And wish we'd something better, sir, to show you.'”
The narrator dreams that after dying, Stephen Massett tries to enter Heaven by claiming to be someone else, and Saint Peter is fooled into letting him in.
Highlights the theme of deception as Massett impersonates another person to gain entry.
“He paused, replaced his hat upon his head, Turned back and to the saintly warden said, O'er his already sprouting wings: 'I swear I smell some broiling going on down there!' So Massett's paunch, attracted by the smell, Followed his nose and found a place in Hell.”
Massett, just as he is about to enter Heaven, is distracted by the smell of cooking from Hell and decides to go there instead.
Illustrates the character's base desires overriding his chance at salvation.