Barney is the disabled son of Edward and Mae McSwiney and is Teddy’s younger brother. Barney is physically deformed, and he also suffers from a learning disability. He is a gentle, vulnerable boy who’s often ostracized and picked on by the Dungatar community because of his disabilities. The Dungatar residents once tried to have Barney committed to an insane asylum, even though he had done nothing wrong and is not a danger to himself or others. Barney is always accompanied by a member of his family, because Mae worries that the Dungatar townspeople might try this again. Barney befriends Tilly, who is kind to him and empathizes with him because she is also gossiped about and treated like an outcast. After Teddy dies, however, Barney is heartbroken and he leaves Dungatar with his family shortly after.
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Barney McSwiney Character Timeline in The Dressmaker
The timeline below shows where the character Barney McSwiney appears in The Dressmaker. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...a child. They have an eldest boy, three younger girls, and a disabled son named Barney, who is “not quite finished,” as well as six younger children.
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Chapter 3
...Mae McSwiney have 11 children: Teddy is the eldest, then they have three girls, then Barney. There is a gap because it took them a while to get used to Barney....
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Chapter 8
...Molly, but Mae says that she didn’t do anything. Tilly remembers that Mae’s disabled son, Barney, was almost taken to the asylum once, but that his siblings stopped this. Mae sternly...
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...her. Teddy quickly rubs butter on Molly’s burns and puts her to bed. He sends Barney to buy cream from Mr. Almanac. Tilly thanks Barney and Teddy, but she throws the...
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Chapter 11
...kitchen with her stick as she passes. Tilly ignores her, and Molly wheels herself outside. Barney is waiting there and he asks if he can see Tilly. Molly says no—she doesn’t...
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Barney says that he has come to ask Tilly to the races himself. Molly wants Tilly...
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Tilly walks Barney down to the racetrack. She wears a beautiful amethyst gown and high heels. Teddy waits...
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As Tilly and Barney reach the racetrack, women gather around and gossip about Tilly. Tilly realizes that they are...
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Chapter 14
...hits golf balls from the top of the Hill down toward the town. Molly and Barney sit on the porch and watch her. One of the golf balls flies past Prudence...
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That evening, Tilly works on her orders while Teddy sits on the veranda and Barney weeds the garden. Teddy asks Tilly if she wants to go fishing the next day,...
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Chapter 18
...company. Finally, she goes into the living room and finds him sitting with Molly and Barney. Tilly sits down with them and she continues to sew.
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...because everyone needs a scapegoat. Molly says that they are all morally corrupt and hypocritical. Barney goes out to weed the garden, and Teddy laughs and points out that it’s dark...
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...says that they will have a huge wedding in Dungatar and then take Molly and Barney and go elsewhere.
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Chapter 19
...for the funeral and wake, and Sergeant Farrat drives Tilly home afterward. The next morning, Barney brings the animals up the Hill and leaves them with Tilly. Edward McSwiney says that...
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