Character Sketch of Taplow
Taplow was sixteen years old. He was in the lower fifth grade at the time. His talk with Frank reveals his preferences and dislikes. It also informs us about Crocker-Harris. Taplow wished to pursue a career in science. He disliked the arts, particularly the play ‘Agamemnon.’ He thought the play was not bad in and of itself, but it was taught in a poor way. He was quite open and honest about his CrockerHarris concept. Taplow had an odd attitude toward him. Despite everything, he stated that he still liked Crocker-Harris. He even laughed at his own bad jokes out of politeness. He was terrified of defying his teacher. He even worked for him while he was away. Taplow went to the chemist to acquire him a prescription. Even on the last day of school, he has to stay behind. Mr CrockerHarris assigned him extra work because he was sick for a day during the week and missed class. It is already past midnight. Mr Crocker-Harris has not yet arrived. Taplow, on the other hand, is terrified of Crocker. He will not leave the classroom till Crocker arrives. Despite his fear of Crocker, he does not loathe him. He simply laughs at Crocker’s bad joke out of respect. Taplow is an extremely obedient student, as we can see.
Character Sketch of Andrew Crocker Harris
Mr Crocker Harris is a senior teacher in his forties who works at the same school as Frank. Mr Harris instructs kids in Latin. He is a tough instructor with an amazing command of his students. He strictly adheres to the school’s norms and regulations. He is demanding of his students. He does not want his students to like him; he wants them to put forth genuine effort in their studies. He assigns extra tasks to those who are sloppy and commit errors. His students respect him despite his strictness. He was dedicated to his work as a teacher and was renowned as a rigorous disciplinarian who did not reveal the results until the headmaster revealed them.
Character Sketch of Frank
Mr Frank was a younger teacher who liked to tease Mr Crocker Harris. He was a morally bankrupt man who had no qualms about having a fake intimate relationship with Mr Crocker Harris’s wife, Millie Crocker Harris.
He instructed Taplow not to wait for Crocker Harris because he was running late. This obviously demonstrates that Frank was not just a man of terrible moral standards, but also a poor instructor. This is also clear when he says he despises what he teaches. Mr Frank, as his name suggests, was a straightforward teacher. He enjoys being appreciated. He liked it when Taplow impersonated Mr Croker Harris. He disregards the school’s norms and regulations. He dislikes the science topic in which he was a teacher. He dislikes Mr Croker Harris.
Character Sketch of Millie Crocker Harris
Millie is Andrew’s younger wife, who has grown increasingly resentful of her husband over the years. She maintains courteous civility with everyone who comes to their flat, but when Andrew and she are alone, she treats him with heartless disdain. She is having an affair with Frank Hunter and proclaims her love for him although he is not feeling the same way. In an intentional attempt to harm Andrew. She sees him as a failure who did not capitalise on his early talent. She is enraged with Andrew for meekly accepting the school board’s decision not to offer him a pension and, more broadly, at his failure to financially care for her. At the end of the play, she informs Andrew that she will not accompany him to his new job, implying that their marriage is over. Andrew, in a rare display of fortitude, ignores what she says with indifference rather than allowing it to harm him.
