Francis Tasbrough Character Analysis in It Can’t Happen Here

Francis Tasbrough, owner of the local quarry, is the wealthiest man in Fort Beulah. Even though he repeatedly claims that “it [fascism] can’t happen here in America,” he enthusiastically supports Buzz Windrip and then takes a prominent job in the administration, as District Commissioner. He uses his position to steal as much money as he possibly can from the government, Minute Men, and local businesses. He turns against his old friend Doremus Jessup for his own political benefit and sends Shad Ledue to the Trianon camp when he finds out that Ledue has been extorting even more money from the Minute Men, without sharing the spoils. Tasbrough’s political career reveals how corruption, profit, and self-interest are the real driving forces behind authoritarian governments like the Windrip administration.

Francis Tasbrough Quotes in It Can’t Happen Here

The It Can’t Happen Here quotes below are all either spoken by Francis Tasbrough or refer to Francis Tasbrough. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“People will think they’re electing [Windrip] to create more economic security. Then watch the Terror! God knows there’s been enough indication that we can have tyranny in America—the fix of the Southern share-croppers, the working conditions of the miners and garment-makers, and our keeping Mooney in prison so many years. But wait till Windrip shows us how to say it with machine guns! […] On the whole, with scandalous exceptions, Democracy’s given the ordinary worker more dignity than he ever had. That may be menaced now by Windrip—all the Windrips. All right! Maybe we’ll have to fight paternal dictatorship with a little sound patricide—fight machine guns with machine guns. Wait till Buzz takes charge of us. A real Fascist dictatorship!”

“Nonsense! Nonsense!” snorted Tasbrough. “That couldn’t happen here in America, not possibly! We’re a country of freemen.”

Related Characters: Doremus Jessup/William Barton Dobbs (speaker), Francis Tasbrough (speaker), Berzelius “Buzz” Windrip

Page Number and Citation: 16-17

Explanation and Analysis:

At exercise hour, the discipline of the men marching out to the quadrangle was broken when one prisoner stumbled, with a cry, knocked over another man, and loudly apologized—just at the barred entrance of Shad Ledue’s cell. The accident made a knot collect before the cell. Doremus, on the edge of it, saw Shad looking out, his wide face blank with fear.

Someone, somehow, had lighted and thrown into Shad’s cell a large wad of waste, soaked with gasoline. It caught the thin wallboard which divided Shad’s cell from the next. The whole room looked presently like the fire box of a furnace. Shad was screaming, as he beat at his sleeves, his shoulders. Doremus remembered the scream of a horse clawed by wolves in the Far North.

When they got Shad out, he was dead. He had no face at all.

Related Characters: Doremus Jessup/William Barton Dobbs, Oscar “Shad” Ledue, Francis Tasbrough

Page Number and Citation: 324-325

Explanation and Analysis:

Francis Tasbrough Character Timeline in It Can’t Happen Here

The timeline below shows where the character Francis Tasbrough appears in It Can’t Happen Here. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Political Communication and Mass Media Theme Icon

...up to complain about the General’s “sadistic nonsense,” but the wealthy local quarry owner Francis Tasbrough interrupts and silences her. Then, the slim, graying Doremus Jessup stands up to speak. He’s... (full context)

After the Rotary Club dinner, Doremus Jessup will go to Francis Tasbrough’s house for an afterparty. But first, he drives Emma home. They pass through the sleepy,... (full context)

The wealthy, imposing Francis Tasbrough lives in a large house on Pleasant Hill, near the Jessups. As a young boy,... (full context)

Tasbrough criticizes Jessup for being a liberal and invites him to “join the family.” He declares... (full context)

...and making the country more efficient. Staubmeyer even credits Hitler with saving Germany from Communism. Tasbrough admits that he’d love to have a strongman for president, but he claims that “it... (full context)

...that his students are now conducting military drills, and that the Board of Trustees—including Frank Tasbrough—has banned all criticism of the military. The family mutt, Foolish, comes into the study and... (full context)

Jessup’s only real political activism was supporting the union’s strike against Frank Tasbrough’s quarry company. Tasbrough and his friends still resent Jessup for this, and Jessup is still... (full context)

...Staubmeyer all giddily tell Doremus Jessup that Windrip will make them rich. Louis Rotenstern, Frank Tasbrough, Medary Cole, and R.C. Crowley also support Windrip, claiming that he’s not as much of... (full context)

...be jailed. Jessup sees Shad Ledue and Aras Dilley marching with the parade, and Francis Tasbrough following it in his car. Later that night, the parade burns down Louis Rotenstern’s shop... (full context)

...slaves back in the 1850s. Buck Titus and John Pollikop scatter pamphlets all over Frank Tasbrough’s quarry, so the workers can retrieve them. Finally, Sissy Jessup and Mrs. Candy’s cousin get... (full context)

In June, Francis Tasbrough calls up Doremus Jessup and passes on some confidential information: Windrip is replacing Secretary of... (full context)

Just as predicted, Dewey Haik takes over as Secretary of War, while Francis Tasbrough becomes the District Commissioner. However, the new Provincial Commissioner is not John Sullivan Reek, but... (full context)

...get out at the old Dartmouth campus—the District Three central offices. Jessup remembers that Francis Tasbrough is the Commissioner now, and he briefly feels relieved. The Minute Men lead Jessup to... (full context)

...him scream through the wall. Then, it’s Jessup’s turn. He expects to be meeting Frank Tasbrough, but instead, it’s the Ensign who arrested him yesterday. The Ensign declares that Jessup is... (full context)

Then, Jessup goes to an old English classroom for his trial. The judge isn’t Francis Tasbrough, but Effingham Swan—who is reading the pamphlet Jessup wrote, detailing his crimes. But Francis Tasbrough... (full context)

...The other prisoners are surprised—they speculate that Ledue wasn’t sharing enough graft money with Francis Tasbrough. But mostly, they plan to kill him. But, like all the other government officials imprisoned... (full context)

...was even chasing a promotion in Hanover, so that he could steal information from Francis Tasbrough directly. One day in September, he was conducting an official drill (and Sissy Jessup was... (full context)

The next morning, Sissy Jessup drives to Hanover and tells Francis Tasbrough about Shad Ledue’s plans. Ledue immediately disappears. Sissy feels horrible about getting Ledue killed, but... (full context)

...abandons Windrip’s $5,000-a-year promise, fires all the feeble soldiers and overly corrupt officials (like Francis Tasbrough), and orders the Minute Men to save time by beating fewer prisoners and executing more.... (full context)

...Sissy is still working for the New Underground and dreaming of marrying Julian, and Francis Tasbrough is District Commissioner again. His new housekeeper, Mrs. Candy, reports on all his activities to... (full context)