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Clare Van Degen
Mr. Abner E. Spragg Undine Spragg’s father; he’s married to Mrs. Leota B. Spragg. He is wealthy by Apex standards, but he is not quite so wealthy by New York standards. But although Mr. Spragg frequently complains of bills and his own bad financial situation, he almost never turns down his daughter when she asks for something. Mr. Spragg’s new money contrasts with established New York families like the Dagonets—Mr. Spragg lived humbly until he became part of a legally dubious scheme involving Representative James J. Rolliver and water purification in Apex. Mr. Spragg’s defining trait is his gently ironic sense of humor. As an outsider in wealthy society, he remains amused by the new world he inhabits, and his attitude seems to be that it’s easier to go along with things rather than trying to change them.
Mr. Abner E. Spragg Quotes in The Custom of the Country
The The Custom of the Country quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Abner E. Spragg or refer to Mr. Abner E. Spragg. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
“Undine Spragg—how can you?” her mother wailed, raising a prematurely-wrinkled hand heavy with rings to defend the note which a languid “bell-boy” had just brought in.
But her defence was as feeble as her protest, and she continued to smile on her visitor while Miss Spragg, with a turn of her quick young fingers, possessed herself of the missive and withdrew to the window to read it.
“I guess it’s meant for me,” she merely threw over her shoulder at her mother.
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Chapter 2
Quotes
She went to the window, and drawing back its many layers of lace gazed eastward down the long brownstone perspective. Beyond the Park lay Fifth Avenue—and Fifth Avenue was where she wanted to be!
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Chapter 10
Quotes
Mr. Spragg mused. “Wasn’t he ever taught to work?”
“No; I really couldn’t have afforded that.”
Chapter 18
Quotes
Moffatt’s social gifts were hardly of a kind to please the two ladies: he would have shone more brightly in Peter Van Degen’s set than in his wife’s. But neither Clare nor Mrs. Fairford had expected a man of conventional cut, and Moffatt’s loud easiness was obviously less disturbing to them than to their hostess. Undine felt only his crudeness, and the tacit criticism passed on it by the mere presence of such men as her husband and Bowen; but Mrs. Fairford seemed to enjoy provoking him to fresh excesses of slang and hyperbole.
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Chapter 22
Quotes
“Do you mean to tell me that Undine’s divorcing me?”
“I presume that’s her plan,” Mr. Spragg admitted.
“For desertion?” Ralph pursued, still laughing.
His father-in-law hesitated a moment; then he answered: “You’ve always done all you could for my daughter. There wasn’t any other plea she could think of. She presumed this would be the most agreeable to your family.”
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Mr. Abner E. Spragg Quotes in The Custom of the Country
The The Custom of the Country quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Abner E. Spragg or refer to Mr. Abner E. Spragg. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
“Undine Spragg—how can you?” her mother wailed, raising a prematurely-wrinkled hand heavy with rings to defend the note which a languid “bell-boy” had just brought in.
But her defence was as feeble as her protest, and she continued to smile on her visitor while Miss Spragg, with a turn of her quick young fingers, possessed herself of the missive and withdrew to the window to read it.
“I guess it’s meant for me,” she merely threw over her shoulder at her mother.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 2
Quotes
She went to the window, and drawing back its many layers of lace gazed eastward down the long brownstone perspective. Beyond the Park lay Fifth Avenue—and Fifth Avenue was where she wanted to be!
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Chapter 10
Quotes
Mr. Spragg mused. “Wasn’t he ever taught to work?”
“No; I really couldn’t have afforded that.”
Chapter 18
Quotes
Moffatt’s social gifts were hardly of a kind to please the two ladies: he would have shone more brightly in Peter Van Degen’s set than in his wife’s. But neither Clare nor Mrs. Fairford had expected a man of conventional cut, and Moffatt’s loud easiness was obviously less disturbing to them than to their hostess. Undine felt only his crudeness, and the tacit criticism passed on it by the mere presence of such men as her husband and Bowen; but Mrs. Fairford seemed to enjoy provoking him to fresh excesses of slang and hyperbole.
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Chapter 22
Quotes
“Do you mean to tell me that Undine’s divorcing me?”
“I presume that’s her plan,” Mr. Spragg admitted.
“For desertion?” Ralph pursued, still laughing.
His father-in-law hesitated a moment; then he answered: “You’ve always done all you could for my daughter. There wasn’t any other plea she could think of. She presumed this would be the most agreeable to your family.”
