# Misunderstood explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by P. G. Wodehouse.

## What happens

Mr. James 'Spider' Buffin, a pickpocket with a hobby of revenge, is arrested by Constable Keating after assaulting a man with a sandbag. After serving sixty days in prison, Buffin obsesses over revenge against Keating. He befriends the policeman to learn his off-duty schedule, planning an ambush. However, when he attempts to attack Keating, a group of strangers intervene and assault the policeman first. Buffin, enraged by the infringement on his revenge, joins the fray and is knocked unconscious. He later wakes to find the attackers arrested, but in court he denies seeing them, leading to their release. The magistrate praises Buffin as a hero, but Buffin, fearing retaliation from the Frith Street gang, pawns his belongings and flees London.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Secrets

Buffin deceives Constable Keating by feigning friendship to learn his off-duty schedule, hiding his true vengeful intentions. The theme is central to Buffin's plot and the misunderstandings that follow.

### Comedy and Misunderstanding

The chapter is filled with ironic misunderstandings: Buffin's revenge is stolen by strangers, he is hailed as a hero for protecting the policeman he intended to attack, and he must flee despite being praised.

## Character check-ins

### Buffin

Mr. James 'Spider' Buffin, a pickpocket and revenge-seeker, is the central character. He obsesses over revenge against Constable Keating, befriends him to learn his schedule, but his plan is thwarted when others attack Keating first. He later denies seeing the attackers in court, earning praise but fleeing in fear.

### Constable Plimmer

Constable Keating is the policeman who arrests Buffin and later becomes the target of his revenge. He is genial and self-confident, unaware of Buffin's grudge. He is attacked by a gang but saved by Buffin's intervention, and he praises Buffin in court.

## Key lines

> The profession of Mr. James (“Spider”) Buffin was pocket-picking. His hobby was revenge.

Mr. James Buffin, known as 'Spider,' made his living as a pickpocket and spent his free time seeking revenge.

_Introduces the protagonist's dual occupations: his trade and his pastime._

> He had outraged his nature by being civil to a policeman. He had risked his life by incurring the suspicions of Sid Marks. And he had waited in the cold till his face was blue and his feet blocks of ice.

Buffin had gone against his own character by being polite to a policeman, endangered himself by drawing Sid Marks' suspicion, and endured freezing conditions while waiting.

_Highlights the lengths Buffin went to for revenge, emphasizing his frustration when others intervene._

> If there were more men like Mr. Buffin, London would be a better place. It was the occasional discovery in our midst of ethereal natures like that of Mr. Buffin which made one so confident for the future of the race.

The magistrate praised Buffin as a rare, noble soul whose existence gave hope for humanity's future.

_Ironic praise from the magistrate, unaware of Buffin's true character and motives._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters/misunderstood
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters