Gareth in The Dictionary of Lost Words: A Character Analysis

Overview of Gareth in The Dictionary of Lost Words

Gareth is a compositor and later press manager at the Oxford University Press, the printing house that produces the Oxford English Dictionary. He enters Esme Nicoll's life as a quiet, observant craftsman who delivers proofs to the Scriptorium, and he becomes her closest ally, her husband, and ultimately a casualty of the First World War. Unlike the lexicographers who define words from written sources, Gareth works with the physical material of language—type, ink, and paper—and his respect for the spoken words of ordinary people, especially women, aligns him with Esme's project to preserve the words that the Dictionary excludes. His arc is one of quiet devotion: he helps Esme collect her lost words, builds her a printed book of them, and chooses to marry her even after learning her most guarded secret. His death in the war underscores the novel's meditation on the inadequacy of language to capture grief and loss.

Gareth's role is not that of a hero who rescues Esme, but of a witness and collaborator who validates her work and her worth. He is one of the few male characters who takes her collection seriously, and his actions demonstrate that the preservation of women's words is not only a feminist act but a human one.

Plot Role

Gareth first appears in the narrative in May 1909, when Esme notices him delivering proofs to the Scriptorium (chapter 19). She later visits him at the Press, where she sees the entry for scold's bridle and steals type letters—an act that foreshadows her later theft of words. His more significant role begins in December 1912, when he finds Esme on the floor of the Scriptorium gathering slips that Mr. Dankworth had dismissed and scattered. He helps her pick them up and advises her to keep them safe, telling her that the words are important even if the Dictionary ignores them (chapter 20). This moment marks the start of their friendship.

Over the following months, Gareth becomes a regular visitor to the Scriptorium, bringing proofs and, eventually, a slip for the word cabbage as used by his late mother, a bindery girl at the Press. This gift is the first word he contributes to Esme's collection, and it signals his understanding of her mission. He later becomes press manager, and when the war breaks out in August 1914, he reports the deaths of young apprentices and receives a white feather—a symbol of cowardice—which prompts him to consider enlisting.

Gareth's most consequential plot action is his creation of Women's Words and Their Meanings, a leather-bound, printed volume of the words Esme has collected. He presents it to her in August 1914, explaining that he chose the book over a ring because he wanted to give her something that would last. The book becomes Esme's legacy, and after Gareth's death, it is the object that connects her to her daughter, Megan, in the novel's final chapters.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Gareth's motivations are rooted in a deep respect for language and for the people who use it. He is a craftsman who loves the shape and feel of words, as he tells Esme: “I’ve always loved the shape and feel of them, the infinite pairings.” But he also recognizes the limitations of the Dictionary's written-only approach. When he brings Esme the cabbage slip, he says, “Mothers have a vocabulary all their own,” acknowledging that the intimate, spoken language of women is absent from the official record.

His actions consistently show kindness and attentiveness. He helps Esme pick up her scattered slips without judgment, he rinses his cup at Lizzie's house (a detail that impresses Lizzie), and he walks with Esme through her grief after her father's death. He is also courageous: at the suffrage procession in January 1913, he is punched while trying to protect Esme, and he later dismisses the injury as a “shaving cut.” His willingness to stand with Esme, even when it puts him at risk, demonstrates his loyalty.

Gareth is also introspective and honest. When he receives the white feather, he does not dismiss it; he tells Esme, “It makes you think.” He wrestles with the decision to enlist, and though he does not want to go to war, he feels a sense of duty. His letters from the front reveal his sensitivity to the inadequacy of language to describe the horrors he witnesses—he writes to Esme about the word doolally and transcribes the censored sentences from soldiers' letters, preserving what the military would erase.

Chronological Arc

Gareth's arc spans from 1909 to 1915, moving from a peripheral figure to a central one.

1909–1912: He is a compositor at the Press, delivering proofs. His first meaningful interaction with Esme occurs in December 1912, when he helps her with her slips.
1913: He becomes press manager. He and Esme grow closer after the suffrage procession, and he supports her through her father's death in May 1913.
1914: War breaks out. Gareth reports the deaths of apprentices, receives a white feather, and considers enlisting. He gives Esme the printed dictionary and learns of her past, responding with acceptance.
1915: He marries Esme on May 5. He receives a commission with the 2nd Ox and Bucks and trains a home guard before being sent to France. He attends Dr. Murray's funeral in July and then departs for the front. He writes to Esme from Hébuterne and Loos, sending slips for CUSHY and doolally. In September 1915, a telegram reports his death.

Gareth's death is not shown directly; it is announced through a telegram, and his final letter arrives with his kit. This offstage death emphasizes the impersonal nature of war and the suddenness of loss.

Relationships

With Esme: Gareth's relationship with Esme develops slowly, from professional acquaintance to friendship to love. He is drawn to her passion for words and her willingness to challenge the Dictionary's exclusions. He falls in love with her “word by word,” as he tells her, by reading the slips she has collected. When Esme confesses that she had a child out of wedlock and gave her up for adoption, Gareth responds, “It doesn't change anything,” and later says he loves her more. His acceptance is a turning point for Esme, who has feared judgment.

With Lizzie: Gareth earns Lizzie's respect through small acts of courtesy, such as rinsing his cup and calling her “Lizzie” as she insists. Lizzie becomes an ally in his courtship, helping him access Esme's slips and hiding places. After Gareth's death, Lizzie comforts Esme and helps her preserve the dictionary.

With Mr. Hart and Dr. Murray: Gareth has a professional rapport with both men. Mr. Hart trusts him to convey concerns about style, and Dr. Murray respects his judgment. They later write letters to secure Gareth an officers' commission, showing their regard for him.

With his mother: Gareth's mother, Deryth Owen, was a bindery girl at the Press. She organized his apprenticeship when he was fourteen. Her memory shapes his understanding of women's work and language; the cabbage slip he gives Esme is a tribute to her.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Helping Esme with her slips: Gareth's decision to help Esme pick up her scattered slips in December 1912 leads to their friendship and, ultimately, their marriage. It also validates her project, giving her the confidence to continue.
Giving Esme the dictionary instead of a ring: Gareth chooses to spend a month's wages on printing Women's Words and Their Meanings rather than buying an engagement ring. This decision reflects his belief that words are a more enduring symbol of love than a conventional token. The book becomes Esme's most treasured possession and later serves as a link to her daughter.
Enlisting in the war: Gareth's decision to enlist, prompted by the white feather and a sense of duty, leads to his death. It also allows him to send Esme words from the front, such as CUSHY and doolally, which she adds to her collection. His death is a direct consequence of this choice.
Accepting Esme's past: Gareth's decision to accept Esme's confession without judgment strengthens their bond and allows Esme to trust him fully. It also demonstrates that love can transcend social stigma.

Themes and Symbolism

Gareth embodies several of the novel's central themes. His work as a compositor connects him to the authority of written versus oral language: he sets type for the Dictionary, but he also values the spoken words of his mother and the women Esme records. His gift of the printed dictionary symbolizes the preservation of lost words as legacy—he makes the ephemeral permanent, giving women's words a physical form that can outlast their speakers.

Gareth's letters from the war highlight the inadequacy of language for trauma and grief. He writes that no word can capture the horror of the trenches, and he transcribes censored sentences to preserve what cannot be said. His death, announced by a telegram, underscores the failure of language to convey the enormity of loss.

Gareth also supports Esme's resistance to the gendered exclusion of women's words. By helping her collect slips and printing her dictionary, he actively participates in the project of reclaiming women's language. His actions suggest that men can be allies in the fight against linguistic erasure.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does Gareth give Esme a dictionary instead of a ring?

Gareth explains that he had to choose between a ring and the words. He chose the dictionary because he wanted to give Esme something that would last and that represented their shared love of language. He says, “I fell in love with you word by word,” and the book is a testament to that love.

2. How does Gareth react when Esme confesses her past to him?

Gareth listens without judgment and tells Esme, “It doesn't change anything.” He later says he loves her more after hearing her story. His acceptance is a key moment in their relationship, allowing Esme to trust him fully.

3. What role does Gareth play in the creation of Women's Words and Their Meanings?

Gareth secretly collects Esme's slips over the course of a year, with help from Lizzie and other Press workers. He typesets, prints, and binds the book himself, choosing the paper and working the press. He presents it to Esme as a gift, and it becomes her legacy.

4. How does Gareth's view of language differ from that of the Dictionary editors?

Gareth values spoken and informal language, as shown by his gift of the cabbage slip from his mother. He recognizes that the Dictionary's reliance on written sources excludes many words used by ordinary people, especially women. He supports Esme's project to preserve these words.

5. What does Gareth's death signify in the novel?

Gareth's death, announced by a telegram, underscores the impersonal and devastating nature of war. It also highlights the theme of language's inadequacy to express grief—Esme cannot find words for her loss. His death leaves Esme to carry on his legacy through the dictionary he made for her.

For further exploration of Gareth's role in the novel's themes, see the ending explained and the questions and answers pages.