Henry Veeder Character Analysis in It Can’t Happen Here

Henry Veeder, Doremus Jessup’s cousin, is an ordinary country farmer. Even though he doesn’t care about politics, he lands in trouble when the government decides to move several families into his house, and he complains about it. He ends up as Jessup’s cellmate in Trianon concentration camp. He tries to escape, but fails because Clarence Little gives away his plans. The Minute Men execute him as punishment. Veeder’s fate represents the way that fascism oppresses the ordinary people it claims to benefit.

Henry Veeder Character Timeline in It Can’t Happen Here

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

The Jessup family has its picnic at Doremus’s cousin Henry Veeder ’s farm just outside town, on Mount Terror. While the other men wrestle and argue,... (full context)

...county gives several poor, loyal farming families land on Mount Terror and moves them into Henry Veeder ’s house. Veeder complains, so he ends up in the camp, too. (full context)

...a huge scar on his face, passed along the name of a man in Hartford. Henry Veeder doesn’t recognize anyone, and he twitches and jumps whenever there’s an unexpected sound. (full context)

Political Communication and Mass Media Theme Icon

...Buck Titus, Dan Wilgus, Lorinda Pike, Julian Falck, Dr. Marcus Olmsted, John Pollikop, Father Perefixe, Henry Veeder ’s wife, Harry Kindermann, Mungo Kitterick, and Pete Vutong. Every week, representatives from the broader... (full context)

...Jessup the opportunity to chat with the other prisoners—including two of his cellmates, Pascal and Henry Veeder , as well as Raymond Pridewell, Louis Rotenstern, Clarence Little, and Victor Loveland. (full context)

...escape plans, but they know that there are snitches everywhere. For instance, Clarence Little reports Henry Veeder ’s escape plan and gets released as a reward. Emma, Mary, Sissy, David, and even... (full context)

On one September morning, Jessup watches Ensign Stoyt and the firing squad march Henry Veeder out of the quad. He hears gunshots, then sees them return with Veeder’s body. Worse... (full context)

...been captured. The crowd includes Dan Wilgus, Buck Titus, Julian and the Rev. Mr. Falck, Henry Veeder , John Pollikop, Truman Webb, and even Karl Pascal. Lorinda Pike, Emma, Sissy, Mary, David,... (full context)