Jack Buggit's Quoyle In 'The Shipping News'

The Shipping News
Jack Buggit & Quoyle

In the novel, The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, several characters contribute to Quoyle’s transformation. Early on Partridge gives Quoyle a friendship figure during his toughest times, but he abruptly leaves and their friendship is reduced to the odd phone-call or letter (he does however get Quoyle the job which was crucial). His aunt Agnis Hamm gives him the push he needs to start his new life but she comes into his life only because of his fathers death, seeking revenge on his ashes, Petal treated Quoyle and their daughters terribly, but Quoyle was almost foolish for holding on to the false hope between them and she forces him to the point where he has nothing left to lose. Dennis and Beety help him greatly by looking after his daughters, making them comfortable and helping them get accustomed to their new life. Tert Card makes Quoyle a better journalist and able to cope with everyday bullshit because of his office antics like changing his story to suit his likings. Wavey shows Quoyle that there are good women in the world. But nobody plays as much a vital role in Quoyle’s
transformation as Jack Buggit does. He affects Quoyle’s life in a sort of indirect way, behind-the-scenes. Jack makes Quoyle a more responsible person, forces him to confront his problems, and makes him an overall more confident, wise and stable family man. First, Jack makes Quoyle a more responsible man. Quoyle has little to none worthwhile experience as a reporter. He never gains any ground or valuable knowledge in Mockingburg as a reporter because he is constantly being hired and fired by his boss who favors family in the workplace. Jack sets expectations for Quoyle from the first time they meet. At one point Quoyle is unsure of what to write in the Shipping News and Jack simply tells him if he knew what to do he would write it himself. This forces Quoyle to take the reins and get his hands dirty, something he seems to have not done much of in the past. He has coasted through many meaningless jobs up to this point, but now he has responsibility like he hasn’t had before at a job. Quoyle takes on the challenge and learns what it is like to take pride in his work, something he hasn’t done until now. This new responsibility and sense of pride are because of Jack Buggit. Second, Quoyle is forced to cover car wrecks around Newfoundland in order to fulfill the Gammy Birds peculiar need for a weekly car wreck. Quoyle is reluctant but he does not complain to Jack. This is a major step in Quoyle facing his problems. The car wrecks are difficult for him to cover because the mother of his kids, who has taken an enormous toll on his life, had recently died in car wreck. Eventually the car crashes are not as difficult for him and he sees them as a part of life, the same understanding that he is getting as he gets over Petal, its part of life. As he grows to accept his job and makes progress with Wavey, Quoyle realizes that car wrecks happen just like love turns sour. It can be inevitable in some cases. But not all cars crash and not all love turns sour. Quoyle learns this from Wavey and his unfortunate job. Jack thrusting Quoyle into this position was essential for his change, because this forced him to confront something he was afraid of and he ultimately realized many things are out of a persons control. Finally, as a result of the role Jack gives Quoyle at the Gammy Bird he becomes an overall better, more-capable person in many ways. He has a new level of confidence stemming from his success at the paper. Success such as making changes to the paper although Jack seems quite set in his ways, changes such as adding new columns including his own where he can voice his opinions. His changes were embraced by readers adding to his confidence, leading to several other small battles won within the papers office. These small battles won showed to Quoyle what he was capable of and that his life was going to be what he made of it. His new confidence earned him many quality friends, a new woman in his life and most importantly Quoyle seems happy, looking on the bright side of life. While unknowingly rebuilding Quoyle’s confidence Jack projects the seriousness needed to make it through a tough life upon Quoyle, and Quoyle takes it in whether he knows it or not. He won’t buy a fifty dollar boat again, that’s for sure. In conclusion, Quoyle experiences a complete transformation.
There are several factors to this change, which all played a role. Petal leaving was the straw that broke the camels back and thanks to his long lost aunt he ends up in Newfoundland which turns out to be the best thing for him. These two occurrences contributed to the biggest lifestyle change for Quoyle. But Jacks influence creates the biggest mental transformation. He becomes a completely different person. He goes from a lonely, desperate, hack-reporter to a contributing member of a tight knit community with new friends, a career and a happy family. Jack Buggit unknowingly transforms him by giving him an amount of responsibility he hasn’t had before, forces him to confront his fears and problems, and makes Quoyle an overall better person as a result of his experiences at The Gammy
Bird.