Alvin Pratt Character Analysis in The Dressmaker

Alvin Pratt is Muriel Pratt’s husband and Gertrude Pratt’s father. Alvin is somewhat two-faced: he is extremely pleasant to his customers, but he also keeps an extremely close eye on everything they owe him and he is really only concerned about money. This attitude makes Alvin rich, however, and he is one of the more powerful figures in Dungatar. Alvin encourages Gertrude’s marriage to William Beaumont. Although the Beaumonts are actually poorer than the Pratts, Alvin snobbishly enjoys his family’s connection with the Beaumonts as he feels that their high social status makes him refined by association. Alvin is the financial benefactor of the Dungatar Ladies Social Club—which Gertrude sets up with her mother-in-law, Elsbeth Beaumont—and he lends them money for all their cultural events. While this seems kind on Alvin’s part, really, he likes people to owe him money because this gives him power over them.

Alvin Pratt Character Timeline in The Dressmaker

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

Secrets, Hypocrisy, and Conformity Theme Icon

...east to west—from Mr. and Mrs. Almanac’s cottage to the school where Prudence Dimm teaches. Alvin Pratt’s General Store sits on the high street alongside the pub, police station, and post... (full context)

Transformation, Illusion, and Truth Theme Icon

Inside Pratt’s store, there are several counters. Alvin Pratt, his wife, Muriel, and his daughter Gertrude serve behind the dry goods and hardware... (full context)

Memories, Progress, and the Past Theme Icon

...counter, Gertrude notices William in the car parked outside. She makes for the door, but Alvin calls for her to serve a customer. Gertrude approaches the farm section of the store... (full context)

Inside Pratt’s, Alvin, Muriel, and Gertrude watch, amazed, as Tilly wheels Molly between the shelves. Tilly approaches the... (full context)

...she can barely breathe when he teases her. William Beaumont enters and asks Gertrude where Alvin is. Gertrude introduces herself brightly to William, but he wanders off before she can finish.... (full context)

...band are warming up. William feels miserable because of the money his mother owes to Alvin Pratt, which William now must pay. He wanders to the snack table and bumps into... (full context)

The crowd at the Dungatar races stares as Gertrude, William, and Alvin make their way through the stands together. Mona and Elsbeth have already taken their seats,... (full context)

Alvin asks Elsbeth if she has bet on a winner and says that he has put... (full context)

At Pratt’s General Stores, Alvin places a wedding cake in the window display. Beula, Lois, Nancy, Ruth, Faith, and Purl... (full context)

Elsbeth refuses to leave her bed in protest over William and Gertrude’s wedding. Alvin postpones Elsbeth’s debt repayment, however, and he lends William money for the wedding. Mona is... (full context)

...“Trudy”) has developed an exaggerated accent to match Elsbeth’s. The women want to speak to Alvin—they explain that they have big plans for a Dungatar women’s social and cultural club and... (full context)

Alvin agrees to this and asks where Mona is. Elsbeth and Gertrude explain that Mona is... (full context)

Beula goes into Pratt’s and tells Alvin and Muriel that Sergeant Farrat advises against going to Molly’s funeral if they were not... (full context)

...she will make Winyerp or Itheca’s costumes instead. Gertrude demands that the treasurer, Muriel, ask Alvin for the money. Muriel snaps that the group also owes Alvin money and that no... (full context)