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Mr. Snawley is the stepfather of two boys who attend Dotheboys Hall. Ralph and Squeers enlist Mr. Snawley in a scheme in which he poses as Smike’s father, using forged documents to try and prove their assertions. Mr. Snawley ultimately confesses his part in that scheme to the Cheerybles, underlining the lack of loyalty that Ralph and Squeers inspire in others.
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Mr. Snawley Character Timeline in Nicholas Nickleby
The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Snawley appears in Nicholas Nickleby. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4
A man named Mr. Snawley arrives with two children. He says that he’s the boys’ stepfather. Squeers says that many...
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Chapter 38
...his son usher Smike into a coach, where they beat him. They take him to Mr. Snawley ’s house. (Mr. Snawley sent his two stepsons to Dotheboys Hall.) At Mr. Snawley’s house,...
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Chapter 39
...invitation, he would have thought twice before offering it. John, Matilda, and Fanny go to Mr. Snawley ’s house at 6 p.m. At one point, John becomes sick. Matilda says that if...
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Chapter 40
Smike runs away from Squeers and Mr. Snawley ’s house so fast that he’s not sure exactly where he’s going. Eventually, though, he...
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Chapter 45
Ralph enters accompanied by Squeers and Mr. Snawley . John steps between Ralph and Nicholas to stop either from advancing toward the other....
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...Smike clings to Nicholas and says he doesn’t want to leave. Nicholas tells Ralph and Mr. Snawley that Smike is free to make his own choices, and he has chosen to stay...
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Chapter 46
...regarding Smike. Nicholas explains the situation, and Charles agrees with Nicholas. He says that if Mr. Snawley is indeed Smike’s father, then Mr. Snawley is a barbarian and a hypocrite, and Nicholas...
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Chapter 56
...undertaken. He says he’s taken an enormous risk by lying to say that Smike is Mr. Snawley ’s son. Ralph says only Mr. Snawley is lying. Everything that Ralph and Squeers have...
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Chapter 59
...Charles leaves. After that visit, Ralph thinks something is not right. He goes to visit Mr. Snawley , but Mrs. Snawley won’t let Ralph see her husband. She says she knows about...
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...Ned, and Tim expand on the evidence they have of Ralph’s crimes. They say that Mr. Snawley confessed to his role in the fraud of claiming that Smike was his son and...
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Chapter 60
...surname (Nickleby). Brooker returned to London and found Ralph’s clerk, Newman. Brooker told Newman that Mr. Snawley was not Smike’s father. From Newman, Brooker also learned that Smike was sick and had...
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