The Japanese Quince

Mr. Nilson is the central character in the story, and the story is told from his point of view through a third-person narrator. The narrator grants access to Nilson’s thoughts and feelings as well as to his limitations and blind spots. Though his age is not disclosed, Nilson presumably is a middle-aged man judging from his status and reputation. He is described mainly by external features: his clothing, accessories, quirks, and habits. This strategy designates Nilson as an external man—a man of surface appearance with little emotional or intellectual depth. He is a product of the social conventions of his world, and his life is shaped by the expectations of others. The few objects that are described in the story are markers of his status and relative affluence, suggesting that he is a thoroughly materialistic man.

Nilson is successful at what he does—and what he does involves money. At the outset of the story, and placed immediately after his name, the phrase “well known in the City” suggests that his reputation is the most important thing to him (Paragraph 1). As “the City” refers to the one-square-mile heart of London, the financial district, one can infer that Nilson works with money as an investor or speculator. The phrase “well known in the City” functions like an epithet—a tag-like phrase that describes a character’s most distinctive quality. Thus, an epithet is like a label that society places on an individual just as the tree has its own label in the garden.

The irony is that the epithet “well known in the City” is certainly how he views himself—not just how the narrator describes him. He sees himself as having a uniquely heroic attribute (renown), but there is little unique about him. The narrative suggests that Nilson never realizes how replaceable he is. His life and accomplishments could be swapped out for Tandram’s. His name recalls the word “nil” or nothing (which plays into the theme of Naming and Classifying as a Way of Knowing, as the author chooses names that convey something about the characters). The blackbird and tree come clearly into focus when seen in contrast to Nilson’s character. The bird and tree are fully realized “individuals” who respond authentically to their impulses and environment. In this sense, they are unique, even if they have no reputation in the world. The bird sings whether anyone hears it or not, and the tree had bloomed without recognition until it caught Nilson’s eye from the window.

Nilson is also a man of habit. The only spontaneous thing he seems to do is stop and delight in the bird’s song and the tree’s blossoms. Even this, however, is only in response to the spontaneity of the bird and tree, not because of his internal impulses. He adjusts his walking tempo at the end, but this variation merely serves the purpose of preventing another encounter with Tandram.