Dad Character Analysis in Skellig

Dad is Michael and the baby’s father and Mum’s husband. While Mum is frequently at the hospital with the baby, Dad is home making repairs to the dilapidated house that the family has just bought. Although his stress over the baby and the new house sometimes cause him to lose his temper with Michael, he is usually good-humored. When Dad catches Michael outside in the middle of the night, he assumes that Michael is sleepwalking, and he becomes worries about Michael’s mental and emotional health. Dad encourages Michael to play with Mina and his friends from school.

Dad Character Timeline in Skellig

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

Weakness, Strength, and Hardship Theme Icon

Imagination, Magic, and Faith Theme Icon

...dusty, pale creature lying behind tea chests is dead, but it moves. Michael’s Mum and Dad are inside with the baby (who has a heart condition) and the Doctor, Dr. Death.... (full context)

Curiosity, Nature, and Transformation Theme Icon

...then, in a creaky voice, the creature asks Michael what he wants. Michael’s heart pounds. Dad calls, and Michael backs out of the garage. Dad chastises Michael, thumping the garage with... (full context)

Love, Empathy, and Caregiving Theme Icon

...must be a dream. From his parents’ room, Michael hears the baby’s ragged breaths and Dad’s snoring. When it starts to get light, Michael goes into his parents’ room and stands... (full context)

The next morning, Michael asks when the garage will be cleaned out. Mum and Dad say soon. While Mum takes the baby to the hospital, Dad starts work on the... (full context)

...there is a hole in the wall where Ernie’s toilet had been. Dirty and smiling, Dad shows Michael the toilet sitting in the garden, joking that it can be a garden... (full context)

When Dad comes out of his bath and finds no food in the fridge, he gets the... (full context)

In the garden, Dad tells Michael his plans. In the yard next door, Mina is drawing in a tree.... (full context)

The next morning, Dad yells for the aspirin. Michael quickly leaves for school. At school, Michael’s science teacher, Rasputin,... (full context)

...Mum curses and cries, saying that the baby can’t thrive in such a messy house. Dad explains to Michael that the baby has to go back to the hospital for a... (full context)

...creature. Michael holds the baby and feels where her wings used to be. Michael and Dad drive Mum and the baby to the hospital. When they get back, Dad starts painting... (full context)

The next morning, Michael has a fit of trembling. Dad calls the school, deciding that Michael can stay home and help him work on the... (full context)

That afternoon, Michael and Dad go to the hospital. They pass Mina drawing in her yard, and Dad says that... (full context)

...he is afraid it is a dream. Mina says that truth and dreams are muddled. Dad calls Michael. Michael says he can’t show Mina now because he has to order 27... (full context)

...says that last night, she dreamed Michael was standing in the yard covered with cobwebs. Dad calls. Promising to show Mina his secret that afternoon, Michael leaves. (full context)

On the way to the hospital, Dad tells Michael that Mrs. Dando called to say that Michael’s friends miss him. When Dad... (full context)

...the baby’s room. Mum tries to smile, but Michael can tell she has been crying. Dad tries to joke. Mum hugs Michael and says he is her best boy, no matter... (full context)

...Mina shows Michael a ball of dead skin and bones she found beside the creature. Dad comes to the window; Michael and Mina part ways, planning to meet at dawn the... (full context)

...Dando comes on her bicycle to tell Michael that his friends miss him at school. Dad shows Mrs. Dando how the house is improving. Mrs. Dando gives Dad a teddy bear... (full context)

...that if he stops listening to her heart, it will stop beating. As Michael and Dad leave, they run into the arthritic woman with the walker. She tells Michael that she’ll... (full context)

...The garage cracks and shudders. The boys jump away, looking scared. Michael goes to get Dad. (full context)

Dad nails boards over the garage door and paints the word “Danger” on them. While Dad... (full context)

...felt them too. They are sure that it will happen again. When they get back, Dad runs out and grabs Michael in his arms. Michael and Mina insist that they were... (full context)

The next day, Dr. Death comes to see Michael. Dad tells the story of the sleepwalking, fear in his voice. Dr. Death asks about Mina’s... (full context)

...more football and spend less time wondering. When Dr. Death leaves, Michael apologizes for scaring Dad last night. Michael and Dad hug. Michael considers telling Dad everything but decides it would... (full context)

...who later teaches them how to fly. Then, Michael is called to the office because Dad is on the phone. Dad says that he has to go to the hospital and... (full context)

The sun sets, and Dad still doesn’t come. Michael keeps checking the driveway for his car. Meanwhile, Michael and Mina... (full context)

At last, Dad calls. He tells Michael that the baby is fine and that the operation is tomorrow.... (full context)

Mina and Michael go out into the driveway to wait for Dad. They wonder what it means that Skellig makes pellets like owls. Mina says there are... (full context)

...pass on his clock. There are no owl calls. The next morning, Michael yells at Dad that he won’t go to school, but Dad yells that Michael will do as he... (full context)

...hedge. Soon, two blackbirds land in the yard and drop worms into the chicks’ beaks. Dad comes into the garden, and Mina gesticulates for him to be quiet. Tiptoeing over, Dad... (full context)

As they walk home, Michael asks Mina not to tell Dad that he fainted. As he wonders aloud where Skellig is, a bird flies overhead. Mina... (full context)

...pomegranate contains in all its seeds. The phone rings and Michael panics, but it isn’t Dad. Michael still can’t feel the baby’s heartbeat within his own. (full context)

...homework and stories of his friends. Michael walks away and sits on the garden wall. Dad drives up and Michael gets in the car with him. Hugging Michael, Dad says it... (full context)

At the hospital, Mum, Dad, and Michael hold hands and look at the baby sleeping in the glass case. Mum... (full context)

Mum tells Michael and Dad how she kept slipping in and out of dreams last night. Once, when she thought... (full context)

In the hall on the way out, Michael and Dad pass Dr. MacNabola. Michael tells Dr. MacNabola that his arthritic friend is better. Dr. MacNabola... (full context)

The next few days, Michael and Dad visit the baby in the hospital. Her chest bandage is smaller, and she is out... (full context)

On Saturday, three builders—Mr. Batley and his sons—come to examine the garage. They tell Dad that he can either knock it down or watch it fall down. Dad gives the... (full context)

...bottles and guess that a vagrant has been camping out in the garage. Michael and Dad watch from the kitchen as the builders take crowbars and swiftly collapse the garage. Dad... (full context)

It is a beautiful spring day. Dad goes to pick up Mum and the baby from the hospital while Michael puts the... (full context)