Write a brief characterization of “Silky Bob” and Jimmy Wells?
After Twenty years(william syndey porter)
Bob or ‘Silky’ Bob is the protoganist in the novel ‘After Twenty Years’. The story is centred around him. He is mostly described through his appearences, “The man near the door had a colorless square face with bright eyes, and a little white mark near his right eye. He had a large jewel in his necktie”. We learn of Bob’s loyalty to his Jimmy Wells as he kept his promise to meet him at the restaurent after 20years He is wealthy but how he managed to be one is not described and it is presumed from hard work. However, as the story progresses, Bobs identity is exposed and we come to know that he is a wanted criminal in Chicago and is known by the name of ‘Silky’ Bob.
The other main cahracter is the policeman who later comes around as Jimmy Wells, Bob’s best friend. But throughout the story, it was believed that the policeman is a mere antogonist who left Bob who was waiting for his friend. Bob is the one who talks about Jimmy’s character. He characterised Jimmy as someone who never wished to leave New York as he is not a hustler like him and also he described Jimmy as a true friend who he though would keep his promise of coming to that restaurant after 20 years. As we progress, we come to know that the policeman was Jimmy Wells who didn’t have the heart to arrest Bob for the criminal he is. But Jimmy’s dedication to the police force is more important than his loyalty to his friend. Although his old friend had traveled far to meet him twenty years later, he had to do what was right and arrest him for the criminal he was.