Mr. Godalming Character Analysis

Mr. Godalming is the headmaster of a school where Emma works as a teacher. The two of them have a long affair while he is married and Emma is in a relationship with Ian. He gives Emma her first cell phone. The affair causes Emma to take stock of her life and consider how she has fallen short of her ideals.

Mr. Godalming Quotes in One Day

The One Day quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Godalming or refer to Mr. Godalming. 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:
Relationships and Time Theme Icon
).

Chapter 10 Quotes

Absurdly, she hides the lit cigarette behind her back.

‘How are you, Miss?’ Sonya is looking a little ill at ease now, eyes flicking from side to side as if regretting coming over.

Related Characters: Sonya (speaker), Emma Morley, Mr. Godalming, Dexter Mayhew
Related Symbols: Cigarettes
Page Number and Citation: 234
Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter 11 Quotes

‘I resign.’

Related Characters: Emma Morley (speaker), Marsha Francomb, Mr. Godalming, Dexter Mayhew
Related Symbols: Cell Phone
Page Number and Citation: 247
Explanation and Analysis:
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Mr. Godalming Character Timeline in One Day

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Godalming appears in One Day. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8
Coming of Age and the Search for Meaning   Theme Icon
Emma goes to sit next to the headmaster, Mr. Godalming . He laughs a lot when Emma explains the fight to him. There are rumors... (full context)
Relationships and Time Theme Icon
Coming of Age and the Search for Meaning   Theme Icon
...are crying.  Sonya is also crying, and she thanks Emma for doing a good job. Mr. Godalming comes over with his wife, who looks bored, but Mr. Godalming is enthusiastic and wants... (full context)
Chapter 10
Relationships and Time Theme Icon
Monday, July 15, 1996. Emma and Mr. Godalming are half undressed on the floor of his office. They’ve just had sex, but Emma... (full context)
Relationships and Time Theme Icon
Emma’s affair with her boss, Mr. Godalming , began the previous September, shortly after Emma turned down a proposal from Ian. One... (full context)
Relationships and Time Theme Icon
As Mr. Godalming is about to leave for the holiday, Emma admits that she doesn’t feel excited about... (full context)
Relationships and Time Theme Icon
...because she has a new boyfriend. At last, Emma says she’d been having sex with Mr. Godalming for nine months, but she says it so dryly that he assumes she’s joking. Ian... (full context)
Chapter 11
Relationships and Time Theme Icon
Coming of Age and the Search for Meaning   Theme Icon
...disappointed. She gets a call on her cell phone, realizing only too late that it’s Mr. Godalming calling. He says she’s missing a mandatory staff meeting and now that they’re affair is... (full context)