Ned Character Analysis in Nicholas Nickleby

Ned is Charles’s brother and Frank’s uncle. With Charles, Ned is portrayed as a kind of benevolent and generous savior who steps in to save Nicholas and his family from their string of bad luck. Ned and Charles give Nicholas a job and rent a cottage to him and his family. Ned and Charles’s benevolence as successful businessmen serves as a tacit indictment of people like Ralph. Ned and Charles use their wealth to benefit others, while Ralph amasses money and power for himself and himself only. Ned and Charles also started with nothing and then became successful in business. With that in mind, the novel uses Ned and Charles to tacitly argue that because Ralph was born with a certain level of money and status, he never had to strive for money and therefore doesn’t know what it means to struggle financially.

Ned Character Timeline in Nicholas Nickleby

The timeline below shows where the character Ned appears in Nicholas Nickleby. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...He learns the man he met is one of the brothers, Charles. His twin brother, Ned, is his business partner. While Nicholas is with Charles, a man who works for Charles... (full context)

Charles and Ned decide to give Nicholas a job. Their current bookkeeper, Tim, has been with the business... (full context)

The Cheeryble Brothers, Ned and Charles, and Tim’s sister later throw a birthday party for Tim. At the party,... (full context)

...the woman to rise to her feet and says they’re not alone. The woman faints. Ned comes rushing when Charles calls out in alarm, and Tim follows. Nicholas is ushered from... (full context)

Injustice, Complicity, and Moral Integrity Theme Icon

...man then introduce themselves to one another. The man turns out to be Charles and Ned’s nephew, Frank Cheeryble, who is expected at the office the next day. Nicholas and Frank... (full context)

...they once used to entertain guests. Charles ends up bringing Frank to tea instead of Ned. Since Mrs. Nickleby was prepared for two people to come, she’s not put out by... (full context)

...would have come to his work. Charles says they promptly sent Ralph away, and that Ned and Tim are also on Nicholas’s side. (full context)

...daughter of Mrs. Bray, who Charles was in love with when he was Nicholas’s age. Ned was also in love with Mrs. Bray’s sister. The sister died, and Mrs. Bray recently... (full context)

...to buy artwork from Madeline so that she has a steady stream of income. Charles, Ned, and Tim can’t act as the dealer because Mr. Bray knows who they are. Charles... (full context)

...Nicholas cycles through possibilities of how to stop the wedding. He thinks of going to Ned, Charles, Frank, or Tim, but each option is unsatisfactory for one reason or another. He... (full context)

At the Cheeryble Brothers’ office, Ralph sits with Charles, Ned, and Tim. Ralph urges Charles to speak to him alone, but Charles says he has... (full context)

Charles, Ned, and Tim expand on the evidence they have of Ralph’s crimes. They say that Mr.... (full context)

...says no. Ralph reluctantly agrees to go. At the Cheeryble Brothers’ house, Ralph sees Charles, Ned, and Tim. There is another man hidden by shadows. Charles tells Ralph they have to... (full context)