Mr. Stiggins Character Analysis in The Pickwick Papers

Mr. Stiggins is a self-righteous preacher who is a leader in the Methodist group that Mrs. Weller is a part of. Despite chastising others as sinners, Stiggins drinks constantly and has no care for those around. He uses religion to exploit people rather than enrich their spirits. Even after Mrs. Weller is dead, he tries to extort more money from the Weller family.

Mr. Stiggins Character Timeline in The Pickwick Papers

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Stiggins appears in The Pickwick Papers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...are staying, Sam sees Mrs. Weller sitting by the fire with none other than Mr. Stiggins, the self-righteous preacher whom his father despises. Mrs. Weller greets Sam coldly, but he deflects... (full context)

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During tea, Sam learns that Mr. Weller has been resisting Stiggins’s efforts to reform him. The conversation is laced with groans from Stiggins and exaggerated laments... (full context)

...smoke and drink, Mr. Weller laments how easily the women in the village fall for Stiggins’s manipulative ways. They perform charitable deeds for distant people while ignoring the real needs of... (full context)

The atmosphere shifts when Stiggins’s arrival is announced. Stiggins, clearly inebriated, stumbles into the meeting to great applause from the... (full context)

...After exchanging some humorous banter, Sam learns that his father has brought Mrs. Weller and Stiggins with him. (full context)

Mrs. Weller expresses her sorrow over Sam’s imprisonment, while Stiggins, in his usual sanctimonious manner, tries to preach about moral improvement. Sam responds with sarcastic... (full context)

As the visit continues, Stiggins implies that he would like a drink, so Sam fetches him one, which Stiggins eagerly... (full context)

...the door, which Mr. Weller suspects is another widow. However, in reality, the visitor is Stiggins. Stiggins enters, expressing false sympathy and asking if Mrs. Weller left anything to him or... (full context)

Undeterred, Stiggins suggests that he could move in with Mr. Weller and help take care of his... (full context)