Margaret Tilbury in Small Pleasures: Character Analysis

Overview of Margaret Tilbury in Small Pleasures

Margaret Tilbury is the ten-year-old daughter of Gretchen and Howard Tilbury, and the living question at the heart of Clare Chambers’s novel. Her birth, which Gretchen claims occurred without any male involvement, becomes the subject of a scientific investigation and a newspaper story that draws the journalist Jean Swinney into the family’s life. Margaret is not a passive subject; she is an emotionally present child who forms a deep attachment to Jean and whose own desires and fears shape the novel’s later events. She embodies the novel’s central tensions between evidence and belief, innocence and knowledge, and the small pleasures that sustain ordinary life. Her presence forces every character—especially Jean—to confront what they are willing to believe and what they are willing to sacrifice for the truth.

Plot Role

Margaret is the catalyst for the entire narrative. Her birth is the mystery that Gretchen wants to prove, and it is the reason Jean first visits the Tilbury home on Burdett Road. From that first meeting, Margaret’s existence anchors the investigation: she is the one who must undergo blood tests, skin grafts, and other medical procedures alongside her mother. She is also the emotional center of the story, as Jean’s growing affection for her complicates Jean’s professional detachment.

Margaret’s role extends beyond the investigation. She becomes a bridge between Jean and Howard, and her later unhappiness forces a reckoning with the consequences of Gretchen’s choices. When Margaret runs away to Jean’s house, she exposes the fractures in the Tilbury family and gives Jean and Howard a reason to reconnect. In this way, Margaret is not merely a plot device but an active agent whose decisions drive the final act of the novel.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Margaret is curious, brave, and loyal, and her actions consistently reveal these qualities.

Curiosity: When she first meets Jean, she asks, “Have you ever met Queen Elizabeth?”—a question that shows a child’s wonder and a desire to connect with an adult stranger. Her curiosity also extends to the medical tests; she asks whether she will have an injection and insists she is not scared.
Bravery: Margaret tells Jean that she has not cried since she was seven, when she missed a nativity play due to chicken pox. This claim, made with pride, suggests a determination to appear strong. Her later decision to run away alone by train, carrying only a small bag and her pet rabbit, demonstrates real courage for a ten-year-old.
Loyalty: Margaret is fiercely attached to her father, Howard. After Gretchen leaves him, Margaret tells Jean she wishes she could “go back to the way things were” and live with her father again. She also shows loyalty to her rabbit, Jemimah, refusing to abandon her even when Martha will not allow the animal indoors.
Perceptiveness: Margaret is an astute observer of adult behavior. She accurately imitates Martha’s low, cultured voice when telling Jean how Martha said, “I haven’t decided yet. I don’t dislike you.” This imitation is described as “uncannily, almost cruelly accurate,” revealing Margaret’s sharp awareness of the emotional dynamics around her.

These traits are not stated explicitly but are shown through her dialogue and actions, making her a fully realized character rather than a mere symbol.

Chronological Arc

Margaret’s arc spans from her introduction in June 1957 to the autumn of the same year, when she runs away.

First meeting (Chapter 2): Margaret arrives home from school, flushed and panting, and eyes Jean suspiciously. Jean notes the striking resemblance between mother and daughter, and Margaret’s first question about the Queen establishes her as a typical, curious child.
The London tests (Chapter 6): Margaret accompanies her mother to Charing Cross Hospital for the first blood tests. She asks about injections and insists she is not scared, showing a mixture of bravado and vulnerability. When her mother becomes emotional about the slow pace of the investigation, Margaret tries to comfort her by squeezing her hand.
The rabbit (Chapters 12–13): Jean buys Margaret a white rabbit, which Margaret names Jemimah. Margaret’s delighted reaction moves Jean, and the rabbit becomes a symbol of the small pleasures that Margaret cherishes.
Gretchen’s departure (Chapter 22): Howard tells Jean that Gretchen has left home and that Margaret is away on a school trip and does not yet know. This news is delivered without Margaret present, highlighting her powerlessness in the adult decision.
Life with Martha (Chapter 24): Gretchen moves to Martha’s house in Luna Street, and Margaret is forced to live there. The arrangement is unhappy: Martha keeps the rabbit outdoors, makes Margaret sleep in a messy painting room, and shows her little affection.
Running away (Chapter 29): Margaret runs away to Jean’s house, traveling alone by train with Jemimah. She explains her misery and her wish to return to her father. While bathing, she reveals a patch of raw skin on her back—the remains of a rejected skin graft, a physical mark of the investigation’s intrusion into her body.
Aftermath (Chapter 30): Howard collects Margaret, and the novel implies a renegotiation of living arrangements. The failed skin graft becomes a key piece of evidence in the doctors’ debate, but for Margaret it is simply a wound that has not healed.

This arc shows Margaret moving from a passive subject of investigation to an active agent who asserts her own needs and desires.

Relationships

With Gretchen

Margaret loves her mother, but their relationship becomes strained as Gretchen’s attention shifts to Martha. In the early chapters, Margaret is affectionate and eager to please, and Gretchen is proud of her. However, after the move to Luna Street, Margaret feels neglected and misunderstood. She tells Jean that her mother does not understand how unhappy she is, and that Martha is only nice when Gretchen is present. Margaret’s decision to run away is, in part, a rejection of her mother’s choices.

With Howard

Margaret shares a close bond with her father. She calls him Daddy, even though she knows he is not her biological father. Howard is a steady, loving presence, and Margaret’s wish to return to him is a central motivation for her running away. The novel suggests that Howard’s devotion to Margaret is unwavering, and his willingness to collect her from Jean’s house underscores his role as her protector.

With Jean

Margaret forms a special friendship with Jean, who becomes a confidante and surrogate aunt. Jean buys her the rabbit, takes her on outings, and listens to her troubles. Margaret trusts Jean enough to run to her house when she is desperate, and she reveals the skin graft on her back—a secret that she has kept from others. This bond is mutual: Jean’s maternal feelings for Margaret are a key part of her own emotional journey, and Margaret’s presence gives Jean a sense of purpose.

With Martha

Margaret’s relationship with Martha is antagonistic. Martha is Gretchen’s lover, and Margaret resents her for taking her mother away and for the poor treatment she receives. Martha’s dismissive attitude—keeping the rabbit outside, making Margaret sleep in a messy room—fuels Margaret’s unhappiness. Margaret’s accurate imitation of Martha’s voice shows her contempt, and her declaration “I hate Martha” is a direct expression of her feelings.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Margaret’s most significant decision is to run away from home. This act has several consequences: it forces Howard and Gretchen to confront the impact of their separation on Margaret; it brings Margaret and Howard back together, at least temporarily; and it deepens Jean’s involvement in the family’s affairs. The decision also reveals Margaret’s agency—she is not content to passively accept her circumstances.

Another key decision is her choice to trust Jean with her physical secret. By showing Jean the rejected skin graft, Margaret exposes the physical cost of the investigation. This moment is both intimate and symbolic, as it connects Margaret’s body to the scientific debate that has consumed the adults.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Margaret is a living symbol of the novel’s central themes.

Innocence and the burden of secrets: Margaret is innocent of the adult complexities surrounding her birth, yet she carries the physical and emotional weight of the investigation. The skin graft on her back is a literal mark of that burden.
Evidence and belief: Margaret’s existence is the evidence that Gretchen hopes will prove her claim, but the tests ultimately fail to provide a definitive answer. Margaret herself becomes a symbol of the limits of scientific proof.
Appearance and reality: Margaret’s strong resemblance to her mother seems to support Gretchen’s story, but the resemblance is not conclusive. The novel uses Margaret’s appearance to question how much we can trust what we see.
Small pleasures: Margaret’s joy in the rabbit Jemimah, her delight in simple things, and her resilience in the face of upheaval embody the novel’s title. These small pleasures are what sustain her—and, by extension, the other characters—through difficult times.
Duty and desire: Margaret’s desires—to live with her father, to keep her rabbit—conflict with the duties imposed on her by her mother’s choices. Her running away is an assertion of desire over duty.

Questions and Answers

Why does Margaret run away from home?

Margaret runs away because she is deeply unhappy living with her mother and Martha. She tells Jean that Martha will not let her bring the rabbit inside, makes her sleep in a messy painting room, and ignores her when Gretchen is not around. She wishes she could return to living with her father, and so she sneaks out and travels alone by train to Jean’s house.

What is the significance of the rabbit Jemimah to Margaret?

Jemimah is a symbol of the small pleasures that Margaret cherishes. The rabbit is a gift from Jean, and Margaret names her and cares for her. When Martha refuses to let the rabbit indoors, it becomes a point of conflict, representing Margaret’s loss of freedom and comfort. The rabbit also serves as a link between Margaret and Jean, strengthening their bond.

How does Margaret react to the medical tests?

Margaret approaches the tests with a mixture of curiosity and bravery. She asks whether she will have an injection and insists she is not scared, though she also shows vulnerability when her mother becomes upset. She participates willingly, but the tests are an intrusion into her young life, and the failed skin graft leaves a permanent mark.

What does Margaret’s relationship with Jean reveal about her character?

Margaret’s relationship with Jean reveals her need for trust and affection. She is initially wary of Jean, but she quickly warms to her, and she comes to see Jean as a safe adult. Her decision to run to Jean’s house and to show her the skin graft shows that she values Jean’s kindness and sees her as a protector.

How does Margaret’s name reflect her mother’s history?

Martha reveals that Margaret was named for both Martha and Gretchen—the name “Margaret” combines elements of both. This naming reflects the deep connection between Gretchen and Martha, and it foreshadows the revelation that Gretchen has always loved Martha. Margaret’s name thus carries the weight of her mother’s hidden past, even as she herself is unaware of it.

For further exploration of these themes, see the ending explained and the questions and answers pages.