Characterizations

Philip and Han are the most important characters in the story "For Philip, on His Last Night at the Palace" by Stuart Nadler. Their relationship goes many years back, when a certain hierarchy was established. In what follows, we will look at the two characters separately and also comment on what ties them together.

Philip

The story begins by presenting the reader an old Philip. At the beginning, we do not know anything about his current state; we are only familiar with the fact that he is the only client of the restaurant: “When the first course arrived Phillip realized he was the only person in the restaurant. It was, as it was always on Friday evenings, a fillet of sole simmering in some combination of white wine, chive and butter.” (ll. 1-3)

We immediately realize that he is widowed. Still, he keeps on ordering his wife’s favorite drink, as a way to keep her memory alive. This also suggests the fact that Philip is a man of habit: 

“The drinks came next. For him, the Blue Tornado, served in a wood-carved tiki cup, a shot of rum poured in at the last moment and then set ablaze for effect. For Margene, as always, a petite cup of Cabernet Blanc, just enough to set her right, but not enough to keep her awake too late.” (ll. 13-16)

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Han

Han seems to be one of the waiters at “The Cantonese Palace”. The fact that he is the only one in the restaurant may suggest the fact that he is also the owner; he seems to have power of decision: “Han smiled. “I knew you’d be coming, Mr. Phillip,” he said. “So we decided to stay open one last night.”” (ll. 63-64)

Han has served Philip since he was a student:

“It had been this way since the beginning, when Han was a highschool student nearby, and it was by way of this weekly jousting that Phillip had learned of all the benchmarks in the boy’s life: the courtship and eventual marriage to his wife; the birth of his first child; the death of his second child.” (ll. 55-58)

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