Previous
Jock Grant-Menzies
– John Beaver’s mother Mrs. Beaver is a widowed interior decorator and ruthless social operator. She keenly exploits every social opening to generate more business for herself, and she heavily assists her parasitic son’s freeloading and social climbing maneuvers. She rents the flat to Brenda Last that Brenda uses for her trysts with John Beaver. Her venture to carve numerous small flats out of an old building, and totally redecorate them with heartless modern décor, epitomizes the baseness and hostility to tradition that Waugh intends to satirize.
Get the entire A Handful of Dust LitChart as a printable PDF.
Mrs. Beaver Character Timeline in A Handful of Dust
The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Beaver appears in A Handful of Dust. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Du Côté de Chez Beaver
In 1930s London, interior decorator Mrs. Beaver stands in front of an actively burning house and discusses with her son the profit...
(full context)
Chapter 2: English Gothic—I
...not know Beaver but supports Tony’s plan, recalling with displeasure that they owe his mother Mrs. Beaver some money. She volunteers to entertain Beaver while Tony flees to his chores.
(full context)
...doesn’t seem to share his contempt for their guest. When Beaver returns home, he tells Mrs. Beaver that Brenda mentioned interest in finding a London apartment, unbeknownst to Tony. Mrs. Beaver is...
(full context)
...the socialite Polly Cockpurse, who again invites them to her upcoming party. Also present is Mrs. Beaver , who aggressively markets a London flat to Brenda, inviting her over for a cocktail...
(full context)
...that Brenda’s dalliance with Beaver is already the talk of the town. At their home, Mrs. Beaver exhorts her son to pursue Brenda for the sake of his own social climbing and...
(full context)
Brenda swiftly returns to London and views one of Mrs. Beaver ’s flats with the confidence of a definite customer. In the meantime, however, Brenda continues...
(full context)
...the one to steal Brenda’s heart has made her story even more fantastical and poetic. Mrs. Beaver is as thrilled as everyone else, seeing the affair as a wonderful improvement for her...
(full context)
At Christmas, John Beaver and Mrs. Beaver go to Ireland, while Tony’s extended family comes to Hetton. Though comparatively poor, Tony’s relatives...
(full context)
Chapter 3: Hard Cheese on Tony
Brenda, meanwhile, leans on Tony’s guilt and invites Polly, Mrs. Beaver , and other London friends to Hetton for the weekend. The women immediately begin disparaging...
(full context)
Chapter 5: In Search of a City
...bed. Even Jenny Abdul Akbar is now getting invited to more social events than Brenda. Mrs. Beaver is disappointed with the way things seem to be shaping up for her son. She...
(full context)
...and he complains about the prices. He confirms that he’s heading to California soon with Mrs. Beaver , which spells the end of his and Brenda’s relationship, despite her apparent attempts to...
(full context)
Chapter 7: English Gothic—III
...Brazil, 1934.” As it turns out, Richard Last was convinced to erect the memorial by Mrs. Beaver , “one of Tony’s closest friends,” who generously offered to supply the contractors for it....
(full context)
