# Mr. Polly an Orphan explained — The History of Mr. Polly

> Chapter companion for The History of Mr. Polly by H. G. Wells.

## What happens

Mr. Polly's father dies suddenly, leaving him a small inheritance of furniture, an insurance policy, and £395. Mr. Polly attends the funeral, where he is surrounded by relatives including the Johnson family, the Larkins sisters, and Uncle Pentstemon. The chapter explores his reflections on his father's life and his own feelings of inadequacy and detachment.

## Themes in this chapter

### Discontent and Escape

Mr. Polly's detachment from his father's death and his discomfort with the funeral proceedings underscore his underlying discontent with conventional life.

### Class and Economic Trap

The inheritance of £395 and the modest funeral arrangements highlight Mr. Polly's lower-middle-class economic constraints and social expectations.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Polly

The protagonist, now an orphan, inherits his father's estate and attends the funeral, feeling a mix of surprise and emotional detachment.

### Johnson

Mr. Polly's cousin who solemnly receives him and manages the funeral arrangements.

### Mrs. Larkins

Aunt Larkins attends the funeral with her three daughters, actively participating in the proceedings.

### Annie

Cousin Annie, one of the Larkins sisters, who becomes sentimental and expresses enjoyment of the funeral.

### Miriam

Cousin Miriam, who catches Mr. Polly's eye sympathetically during the funeral.

### Uncle Pentstemon

An elderly relative who is preoccupied with his rush basket and hat, and makes pointed comments to Mr. Polly.

## Key lines

> His father had died suddenly—the local practitioner still clung to his theory that it was imagination he suffered from, but compromised in the certificate with the appendicitis that was then so fashionable

Mr. Polly's father died suddenly; the doctor, who had always thought his ailments were imaginary, officially listed the cause as appendicitis, which was a trendy diagnosis at the time.

_This introduces the father's death and the doctor's dismissive attitude, setting the tone for Mr. Polly's reflections._

> A weakly wilful being struggling to get obdurate things round impossible corners—in that symbol Mr. Polly could recognise himself and all the trouble of humanity.

Mr. Polly sees his father's struggle to move a sofa up a narrow staircase as a metaphor for his own life and the universal human struggle against stubborn obstacles.

_This key insight reveals Mr. Polly's growing self-awareness and his philosophical view of life's difficulties._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_history_of_mr_polly_se/chapters/iv-mr-polly-an-orphan
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_history_of_mr_polly_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_history_of_mr_polly_se/chapters