Rob is one of Thornhill's older brothers. He developed a fever as a child, and after that loses some of his hearing. Although he's described as "simple," he's exceptionally kind and hardworking. Thornhill loves his brother and employs him when he's an adult. When Thornhill is caught stealing the Brazil wood with Rob, Rob falls overboard and drowns in the Thames.
Get the entire The Secret River LitChart as a printable PDF.
Rob Character Timeline in The Secret River
The timeline below shows where the character Rob appears in The Secret River. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1: London
...and enjoys feeling his rage. He runs around the city with his brothers, James and Rob, and his friends, William Warner and Dan Oldfield. Dan is an expert at stealing roasted...
(full context)
...his good luck. He works primarily rowing coal and timber to shore and can employ Rob to help him.
(full context)
...notice of the bribe and Collarbone chokes and tosses on his rope the next morning. Rob vomits, and later Thornhill tells Sal that it was a clean, quick hanging. She sighs...
(full context)
At daybreak, Rob doesn't show up to help Thornhill load the wood. Thornhill hires another man to help...
(full context)
...boat is waiting, but the tide is too low to unload. He calls softly for Rob, who finally appears and helps Thornhill pull the boat to shore. After they tie up...
(full context)
Part 3: A Clearing in the Forest
...picks of the convicts. He chooses a man called Ned because Ned reminds him of Rob, and after he has chosen another man, the man excitedly introduces himself as Dan Oldfield,...
(full context)
