A Treatise on the Character of John Edgeworh in Relation to his Vivacious Sister Topaz Edgeworth

John Edgeworth is portrayed in Ethel Wilson’s novel “The Innocent Traveller” as a character with many facets to his personality. The most interesting, and most frequently seen, facet is the side of his character which surfaces in his dealings with Topaz Edgeworth, his sister.
John and Topaz’s relationship is first seen in-depth when John takes Topaz on his trip to the Continent. As is seen throughout the novel, Topaz has a very childish view of life and a childish way of acting, thus prompting John, who is always very correct in his actions, to take on a guardian-like role while Topaz is his responsibility. By the time of their arrival in Paris, “[John] often wished that he had left [Topaz] at home to deteriorate.” (Wilson 61) Throughout their time together on the Continent, John has small fits over Topaz’s inappropriate behavior, such as when John wanted to descend the Eiffel Tower and Topaz wanted to stay at the top. The climax of the trip is when, once in Italy, Topaz lies down on the floor of St. Peter’s Basilica to get a better view of the ceiling. John becomes so angry that he “nearly started back home in a fury.” (Wilson 63) Topaz had to console him “until at last John spoke to her again and there was peace between them.” (Wilson 63) John and Topaz’s relationship is a difficult one. John enjoyed being thought of as the “lordly and distinguished Englishman” (Wilson 61) when he went abroad and was always very conscious of his behavior. Topaz is the exact opposite, doing whatever she pleases whether it’s appropriate or not. This was embarrassing to John and put him “in many uncomfortable situations in which he felt that he was conspicuous .... as the brother of an irreverent and carefree youthfully middle-aged sister” (Wilson 61). To make matters worse, Topaz could not be chastised when her behavior did surpass acceptability. Many times, John tried to correct her, sometimes angrily, and Topaz merely did not listen or did not care. Wilson even mentions that “John ... tried to sneap Topaz whenever he thought it good for her, which was often” (Wilson 139).
The relationship between the siblings only becomes close once Topaz moves to Vancouver with Annie and Rachel. Now that Topaz can no longer impede his appearance or ruin his reputation through association, John frequently writes to her: “[his] letters flew with a lover’s frequency,” (Wilson 139) Topaz is not John’s responsibility anymore and he can now savor their relationship as siblings without obstruction.
John and Topaz’s relationship is, at first, a difficult one that is trying for John. Only once Topaz was six thousand miles could the relationship blossom into one between two happy and close siblings.

- by Brianne Coffey