The Shipping News Summary

The Shipping News is a novel, written by Annie Proulx, which details the life and times of Quoyle. Quoyle is a misfit who, through a series of unfortunate events, finds himself shipping out to Newfoundland with his young daughters and aging aunt. After arriving Quoyle must overcome mental, physical, and emotional struggles while still maintaining a job and two children. As the book ends he comes to terms with his family’s history, his loss, and what his future will hold. Quoyle transitions from a doormat of a man to a respected member of his community, and father, through his experiences in Newfoundland. Quoyle enters the novel as a 36 year old newspaper reporter living in New York. His wife, Petal, is always running off with other men, or

Quoyle writes a piece regarding how sad it is to have this slow transition from grassroots to industry occurring. The editor, who’s in favor of the oil industry, edits his article to show support for the industry, and prints it. Quoyle, in a nearly unheard of act of standing up for himself, goes to the owner of the paper to explain what had occurred. The owner sides with Quoyle, and chews out the editor. No longer would Quoyle be encroached on, at least at work. Once winter settled in Agnis moved down to St. Johns for work, and Quoyle went back to the family home to collect some things. There he finds knots, laid out in a menacing way before every door in the house. Finally getting fed up with his distant cousin, Nolan, he decides to take a stand for his family. Traveling out to Nolan’s ramshackle home he discovers what can only be described as an incredibly sad situation. Nolan’s curled up under a collection of garbage, with his white dog keeping watch. Despite having the courage to approach his kin, Quoyle ultimately decides it isn’t worth making a scene, as Nolan is clearly out of