Dr. Faraday

Dr. Faraday is the main character and narrator of the novel. He is the son of a woman who once worked as a nursery maid at Hundreds Hall. Even though he is a doctor, Faraday feels guilty because he knows that his parents dedicated themselves to funding his schooling, and he believes that he has not lived up to their expectations. He also thinks he has been shortchanged in life because he was born into a working-class family. He believes if he were affiliated with one of the old, elite families of England, he would have a better chance to be successful.

Faraday became obsessed with Hundreds Hall when he first visited it when he was ten years old. He admired the house so much that he pried a plaster acorn out of one of the decorative moldings as a keepsake. This act is perhaps Faraday’s...