Theophilus North

Author	Thornton Wilder
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Novel
Publisher	Harper & Row
Publication date	1973
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
Pages	374
ISBN	978-0-060-14636-8

Theophilus North is a 1973 autobiographical novel, the last novel written by Thornton Wilder. In 1988 it was adapted for the film Mr. North.

Plot summary

In 1926 Theophilus North, 29 years old, leaves his four years employment at a New Jersey school and goes to Newport, Rhode Island, to buy a car that a friend sold him. He has no idea what to do next in his life. Arrived in the city, he decides to remain there. He tries to get an income giving private lessons and as a reader for $2.00 per hour, but soon his ability in solving problems helps introduce him to Newport's high society.

Characters

• Theophilus North
• Josiah Dexter
• Bill Wentworth
• Henry Simmons
• Mrs. Cranston
• Diana Bell and Hilary Jones
• Miss Wickoff
• Mr. Diefendorf
• Flora Deland
• Baron Egon Bodo von Stams

Style

The novel is written in the first person; in fact the fictional author declares it is an abstract of a journal. However, a great part of the novel is made of dialogues between North and other characters.

There are fifteen chapters, each one treating a different episode where North is involved.