that keen on marrying him though aware that it will be practical and give her a home of her own. Suddenly, we are told of a quarrel and a permanently broken engagement. We have no clue at all to the cause. We can only extrapolate from the small exposure to his behavior discussed above what Sam may have done to alienate Sophy--for we surely feel the breach was Sam's fault.

Through extrapolating values and related actions, it may be that Sam asserted what Sophy would and would not do after they were married, or perhaps he began to demand more of her physically than she was willing to give before the wedding. What we can surmise is that somehow or other, Sam asserted his will in a way that was wholly unacceptable to Sophy, who has a broader world perspective and higher values of good and right than he does. Perhaps it might be said that Sophy felt Sam was morally beneath her.

The second scenario of interest to a character sketch is when they re-encounter each other. All the initiative for the encounter is on Sam's part; from this we know that his feelings for Sophy have not dimmed over the years, especially since he married no one else. He hears of the Vicar's death. He looks for and takes a job at a grocer's in the neighborhood near Sophy. He learns what street she lives on. He deliberately drives her street to market every day and deliberately looks out for some sign of her everyday. If we accept the idea that we extrapolated above, that Sam was to blame and was somehow lower morally than Sophy, we can see that Sam is not vengeful and that he is very determined and very ingenious in pursuit of his desired end: reunion with Sophy. When they do meet, Sam displays great and completely sincere courtesy, respect, gentleness, thoughtfulness, and kindness. He puts Sophy first in all actions though he does suggest what might be in her best interest and helps to attain her best interest: riding in a buggy, speaking to her son.

The third scenario is his deportment as Sophy's funeral procession passes by. He humbly stands on the side of the road, a participatory observer rather than a participant in her funeral. He is humble, full of deep mourning, and (possibly) full of regret. It is entirely possible, when these three scenarios are examined together, that a character sketch of Sam must include a psychological movement from self-absorption to other-focused sensitivity and to a deep mournful regret that his inability to grasp a wider worldview--seeing beyond his self-interest--led to failed love between him and Sophy and to lifelong mournful misery for both. [This analysis also identifies two protagonists for the story: Sophy and Sam.]

a middle-aged man was standing at the door of the largest fruiterer's shop in Aldbrickham. He was the proprietor, but to-day, instead of his usual business attire, he wore a neat suit of black; and his window was partly shuttered.... The man, whose eyes were wet, held his hat in his hand as the vehicles moved by, ....

To write an empathetic account of Sam's thoughts as Sophy rolls by, forever out of his reach, you need to focus on the last information we have about his suit for Sophy's hand. You might also want to focus on the quarrel they had when they were young that led to Sophy's being free to accept Twycott's marriage proposal. The last thing we know about Sam and Sophy's conversations occurs after another "four or five long years" has past when he approaches Sophy yet again in all earnestness "with some peremptoriness":

thus the gentle creature [Sophy] reasoned and pleaded till four or five long years had passed. Then the faithful Sam revived his suit with some peremptoriness. Sophy's son, ... [was soon to be] ordained, she argued, ... [and she] would be an encumbrance to him. [...] taking her before a little cross and altar ... [Randolph] bade her kneel, and swear that she would not wed Samuel Hobson ....

Another four years years pass by during which Sophy mummers "Why mayn't I say to Sam that I'll marry him? Why mayn't I?" Then we see "the mourning coach" roll past Sam, hat in hand. He may be thinking of that long ago quarrel of which we know so little:

'Sam Hobson has asked me to marry him, sir.'
'Well--do you want to marry?'
'Not much. ....'
.... 'I don't want to leave just yet, sir, if you don't wish it. Sam and I have quarrelled.'

We do know Sophy didn't approve of Sam's manners as she scolds him on the night Mrs. Twycott dies: "'No, Sam; you sha'n't!' she cried, putting her hand over his mouth. 'You ought to be more serious on such a night as this.'" Perhaps Sam made demands of Sophy about her agreeableness after their engagement. Perhaps Sophy made demands of Sam about his behavior. Perhaps they couldn't agree about how they would set up housekeeping. Whatever it was, it made Sophy change her mind from "Not much" to not at all.

With this background and with the more recent events:

• Sam might be regretting their long ago quarrel and blaming himself for his youth and foolishness.
• Sam might be dreaming of the other event that might have occurred, with him in his black suit but while standing before a priest with Sophy in a brilliant gown, and with his store closed on a work day.
• Sam might be thinking about what might have occurred in life for him and Sophy, without the accident that led to her wedding and her crippled state.
• Sam might be thinking about what he might have done differently to help Sophy assert her rights before Randolph.
• Sam might be thinking that Sophy unquestionably loved Randolph more than she loved him.
• Sam might be thinking that Sophy honored her late husband's memory more than she loved him.
• Sam might be thinking about how weak Sophy was, lame in both foot and courage. 
• Sam might be thinking about how empty life in the grocer shop will be.
• Sam might be thinking about never finding another like Sophy after all these years of weakness and waiting and loving.

To write your assignment, use first person "I / me / my / mine" sentences and speak for Sam. Choose what you suppose he is thinking about and speak his thoughts for him. The list of suggestions above might spur some thoughts. The last moments he had with Sophy and the pivotal early moments he had with her will be part of his thoughts and part of what you speak about. Example: I always thought I would be standing here in pride on my wedding day, having won my Sophy at last. I freeze when my thoughts turn to the ill-fated youthful quarrel that lost her to me ... forever.

We have two perspectives on Sam Hobson from which to draw elements for a character sketch. The first is when he is introduced in the flashback description of Sophy's early life while the second is when Sam deliberately reenters Sophy's life after she is widowed.

In the flashback, what we learn about Sam is framed by his relationship with Sophy and is a tad confusing. We learn (1) he waits for Sophy outside the Vicarage to walk her home very often: "she discerned, without much surprise, the figure of [Sam]"; (2) he has a respectful and philosophical bent the same as Sophy has: "these two young people, in that elevated, calmly philosophic mind ..."; (3) that he is practical: "will you stay on now at the Vicarage"; (4) that he is very affectionate toward Sophy (also that he's tall): "his arm stole round her waist ... He stooped to kiss her"; (5) he and Sophy disagree over principles and that Sophy has higher principles. Since we know these things, it is no great surprise when later he proposes and when, shortly after, they quarrel and split up.

When Sophy and Sam reunite, we find that Sam has ingenuity, since he contrived to move to and get a job in her vicinity of South London; that he still loves Sophy; that he is more respectful of circumstance than of old (though he has to be reminded: "I forget, ma'am, that you've been a lady for so many years"); that he laid and pursued a plan until it led him to Sophy; "I knew you lived along here somewhere. I have often looked out for 'ee"; that he is gentle, thoughtful, loving, and surprisingly persevering, though he never reaches success with Sophy like he reaches success as a fruit grocer:

Some four years after this date a middle-aged man was standing at the door of the largest fruiterer's shop in Aldbrickham. He was the proprietor, but to-day, ... he wore a neat suit of black ... [his] eyes were wet [and he] held his hat in his hand as the [funeral procession] moved by ....