# XIII: Sentiment explained — Sinister Street

> Chapter companion for Sinister Street by Compton Mackenzie.

## What happens

Michael struggles with adolescent shyness and hyperesthesia toward his mother, then becomes infatuated with a girl named Kathleen McDonnell while on holiday in Bournemouth. He idealizes her, only to discover she is engaged to Mr. Walter Trimble, leading to a sentimental despair that he romanticizes through Swinburne's poetry. Meanwhile, he reflects on his past religious experiences at St. Bartholomew's and tests his aesthetic judgments at Christchurch Priory.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Obsession

Michael's infatuation with Kathleen McDonnell and his sentimental despair upon learning of her engagement to Trimble.

### Art and Self-Expression

Michael tests his aesthetic judgments at Christchurch Priory, contrasting classical and romantic art, and uses Swinburne's poetry to articulate his emotions.

### The Passage of Time and Memory

Michael reflects on his past religious experiences at St. Bartholomew's and the changes in his perceptions of beauty and emotion.

## Character check-ins

### Michael Fane

Experiences shyness toward his mother, becomes infatuated with Kathleen McDonnell, and later suffers sentimental despair upon learning of her engagement.

### Mrs. Fane

Accompanies Michael to Bournemouth, judges Kathleen as 'provincial,' and facilitates Michael's introduction to the McDonnell sisters.

### Kathleen McDonnell

The younger McDonnell sister from Burton-on-Trent; Michael becomes infatuated with her, but she is engaged to Mr. Walter Trimble.

### Mr. Walter Trimble

Kathleen's fiancé; Michael lends him his bicycle and feels jealous of his relationship with Kathleen.

### Prout

Michael visits him in Bournemouth; finds him dull and depressed by his long engagement.

### Alan Merivale

Michael's friend; they discuss Oxford and idealize their future university life together.

## Key lines

> He was seized with one of his fits of shy sensitiveness, and he became suddenly so deeply embarrassed that he could scarcely even bring himself to address his mother as 'you.'

Michael felt a sudden, intense shyness that made it difficult for him to even speak to his mother.

_Illustrates Michael's adolescent hyperesthesia and emotional withdrawal._

> O love, my love, and no love for me.

Michael quotes Swinburne to express his despair over unrequited love for Kathleen.

_Shows Michael's romanticization of his own suffering through poetry._

> Michael concluded that all impermanent emotions of beauty proved that it was merely the emotion which had created an illusion of beauty.

Michael decides that fleeting feelings of beauty are just illusions created by the emotion itself.

_Reflects Michael's attempt to develop a personal aesthetic philosophy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sinister_street_se/chapters/xiii-sentiment
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sinister_street_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sinister_street_se/chapters