Characterisation of Mr Bell

Mr Bell is a very important character in the short story “To Feed the Night” by Philip Hensher, as he is the one who triggers the couple to become greedy. Mr Bell becomes the symbol of temptation.

The man’s outer characterisation reveals that he is a real estate agent and that he is rather young: “He was narrowly built, hungrily mid-twenties, with the rudiments of a smile underneath the startling blue eyes, a brisk smile of wet white teeth” (ll. 56-58).

Inner characterisation

Mr Bell’s inner characterisation reveals that he is a man of words and that he can read people very well. He immediately realises that the husband is a possible customer and he tries to persuade him into buying a larger flat:

The Elgin Avenue flat,’ Mr Bell said. ‘Or so I imagine. A very nice property. I wonder if you would like to see it? You are in luck. It only came on to the market late yesterday. A feeling I had, to put it into the window immediately. You are the first person to notice it, and I imagine it will not be in the window for very long. I wonder if you would like to see it?’ (ll. 67-72)

Mr Bell comes across as “very helpful” (ll. 101-102) when he helps the two spouses sell their old apartment and move into a new one. Although the spouses paid a lot less for their initial flat, Mr Bell managed to find a buyer...