# The Autograph Hunters explained — School Stories

> Chapter companion for School Stories by P. G. Wodehouse.

## What happens

Dunstable schemes to obtain Mr. Montagu Watson's autograph for his housemaster Mr. Day, who collects autographs. After a failed letter posing as a young fan, he enlists Linton's help to write as a bereaved widow, but is again rebuffed. Finally, he deliberately trespasses on Watson's property, gets caught, and is reported to Mr. Day. When punished, he reveals that the complaint letter itself provides the desired autograph, and Mr. Day lightens the punishment.

## Themes in this chapter

### Trickery and Cunning

Dunstable employs multiple deceptive strategies—fake letters, false identities, and deliberate trespass—to obtain the autograph.

### Authority and Rebellion

Dunstable subverts the authority of Mr. Watson and Mr. Day through his clever scheme, ultimately turning punishment into a reward.

## Character check-ins

### Dunstable

The main schemer, determined to get Montagu Watson's autograph for his housemaster Mr. Day.

### J. Linton

Dunstable's friend who helps write a fake letter from a widow.

### Mr. Day

The housemaster who collects autographs and is the intended recipient of Dunstable's scheme.

### Mr. Montagu Watson

The famous novelist whose autograph is sought; he is irritated by the attempts and eventually catches Dunstable trespassing.

### Mr. Secretary Morrison

Watson's secretary who composes the polite but dismissive replies.

## Key lines

> Dunstable had his reasons for wishing to obtain Mr. Montagu Watson’s autograph, but admiration for that gentleman’s novels was not one of them.

Dunstable wanted Watson's autograph not because he liked his books, but for a different purpose.

_Sets up the ironic motivation for the chapter's central plot._

> I am only a littel boy, but I think your books ripping. I often wonder how you think of it all. Will you please send me your ortograf?

Dunstable writes a letter pretending to be a young, admiring fan, using childish spelling to seem innocent.

_First attempt at trickery, using a fabricated persona._

> I cannot refrain from writing to tell you what an inestimable comfort your novels have been to me during years of sore tribulation and distress—

Dunstable dictates a letter posing as a grieving widow seeking solace in Watson's books.

_Second attempt, adopting a more sentimental and adult persona._

> It’s eddication. You and me couldn’t talk like that. It wants eddication.

The gamekeeper remarks that Watson's swearing requires education to match.

_Humorous observation on class and language._

> I’m glad you’ve got his autograph after all, sir.

Dunstable points out that the complaint letter from Watson serves as the autograph Mr. Day wanted.

_The clever resolution of the scheme._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/the-autograph-hunters
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/school_stories_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/school_stories_se/chapters