Mr. Benn is a pilot who supervises ships as they traverse the rocky waters where the sea meets the head of the Knysna river, a job he takes seriously. He can be a gruff man, rejecting Benjamin during his early attempts to find a job. He demonstrates his protective nature by trying to warn Nina not to spend time on the hills where lecherous sailors often gather. Ultimately, Mr. Benn hires Benjamin to work on his pilot-boat, marking Benjamin’s entrance into adulthood.
Mr. Benn Quotes in Fiela’s Child
The Fiela’s Child quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Benn or refer to Mr. Benn. 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 23
Quotes
‘I am an oarsman too. But I can’t live on what John Benn’s paying. I make a bit of extra on my own. I had to get rid of some of my customers because I only have two hands.’
Related Characters:
Kaliel September (speaker), Benjamin, Mr. Benn
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 25
Quotes
He was shocked and guilt-ridden. For a moment, his body had forgotten that she was his sister.
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Fiela’s Child LitChart as a printable PDF.
Mr. Benn Character Timeline in Fiela’s Child
The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Benn appears in Fiela’s Child. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 22
...up one day, and if anyone’s on the ship, they’re all dead. The sergeant mentions Mr. Benn , the pilot who will have the responsibility of finding out who the ship belongs...
(full context)
...Nina generally refused to work, spending most of her time outside in the nearby hills. Mr. Benn apparently saw her out wandering recently and saved her from some seamen who were harassing...
(full context)
...ever make it through the rocky waters. Just then, a man yells at Benjamin that Mr. Benn gets angry if he sees people hanging around where Benjamin is, since a man fell...
(full context)
Chapter 23
...boat. Benjamin doesn’t have one yet. The boatman says it’s unlucky that Benjamin talked to Mr. Benn (the man by the white flag) when Mr. Benn was in such a bad mood...
(full context)
...three days, showing him his new responsibilities. Kaliel complains that he knows as much as Mr. Benn , but Mr. Benn gets to sit up on a hill and take a bigger...
(full context)
...Benjamin remains determined to get a job on a ship, but Kaliel September explains that Mr. Benn already has replacements lined up if anything happens to his oarsmen, and even if Mr....
(full context)
Chapter 25
...good job, but eventually Kaliel gets suspicious, accusing Benjamin of trying to win favor with Mr. Benn to take Kaliel’s place on a ship.
(full context)
...all. The next morning, a ship comes into the fog. Benjamin talks about it with Mr. Benn . Mr. Benn needs an oarsman right away, and since Kaliel September apparently went into...
(full context)
Chapter 26
...The ship eventually wrecked on the rocks. While looking through the wreckage, Benjamin told Nina, Mr. Benn , and some of the other sailors that he was headed back to Long Kloof....
(full context)
Chapter 29
Two days later, Mr. Benn gives Benjamin a position on the crew of his pilot boat, since Kaliel September is...
(full context)
...Benjamin struggles to explain his conflicted feelings, and Nina gets angry at him. One day, Mr. Benn tells Benjamin he sees a sadness in Benjamin’s eyes, even after getting his position on...
(full context)
One day, Mr. Benn gathers up all his sailors. A brig is out at sea, flying flags that indicate...
(full context)
...come through the rocky waters without a pilot. Book and Benjamin start running. Book says Mr. Benn will want to show this brig who’s boss for being too hasty. The brig, however,...
(full context)
Mr. Benn orders his crew to keep rowing. All of a sudden, he points out a seaman...
(full context)
Soon after, Kaliel September suddenly comes back, looking sickly. Benjamin breaks the news to Mr. Benn that he has to go to the Forest for a couple days.
(full context)
Chapter 32
Benjamin goes to Mr. Benn and tells him that from now on, his name is Benjamin Komoetie, which isn’t a...
(full context)
