Summary

Chapter Five begins with the arrival of Mr. Peacock, whose visit Charlie had forgotten. He tells Ma, who fusses about her appearance and about the house, then invites Mr. Peacock in. Charlie notices how nicely Mr. Peacock is dressed, and how uncomfortable both he and Ma seem, especially when Mr. Peacock offers the chicken he had brought. Charlie’s narration reveals that Mr. Peacock and his father has been friends, that his father had been dead for two and a half months, and that Mr. Peacock had been coming around more often in the last few weeks.

When Nostrils arrives, Charlie is relieved to escape the awkward conversation between Ma and Mr. Peacock. He and Nostrils first have a cup of tea in the kitchen, where Nostrils tells Charlie that Harriet is, in fact, a male. They then go out into...