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Chapter 34: Dressing Up
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Shipping News, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love and Family
Redemption, Courage, and Happiness
Life and Death
Resilience and Survival
Modernity
Summary
Analysis
In early January, Jack makes Quoyle the new managing editor and drives him down to Misky Bay to show him how to get to the printer’s. He’s in a tizzy because the Canadian government has changed the fishing regulations again. Jack knows times are changing and the Gammy Bird needs to attract two audiences: the old-fashioned Newfoundlanders and the younger generations who want to—or must—make a way in the wider, modern world. The two men trade ideas for how to please both demographics.
Quoyle’s life keeps looking up: not only did he find a niche for himself writing boat features, but he’s doing such a good job that he earns a promotion here. Remember that in New York, he couldn’t even stay employed for a full year at a time; Ed Punch annually laid him off over the summer. In part, he’s uniquely suited to the job because he has the dual perspective the paper needs: he’s becoming more and more a part of the community, but he also knows what it is to live elsewhere. As times change, the novel suggests that everyone and everything—even the Gammy Bird—needs to find a way to adapt that honors the past while looking to the future.
Themes
Quoyle tries to project confidence on his first day as managing editor. He checks in with Benny Fudge, who’s been recently reassigned from restaurant critic to cover Nutbeem’s sexual assault and court-reporting beat. Benny doesn’t like the sexual assault stories but went all in on the crime reporting. Quoyle thinks he’ll be able to get something workable from the man. When the first issue with his name on it as managing editor goes to print, he mails a copy to Partridge.
In a professional sense, Quoyle has made it, although there are pieces missing to make his life complete—like actually having a permanent home and making things official with Wavey. Still, he’s gotten farther in a few months in Newfoundland than he did in decades in New York. It seems he is better suited for this life. Once he found his place in the world, things became easier.
Themes
