| Timothy Cavendish | |
| Novel | |
| Appears | The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish |
| Referenced | An Orison of Sonmi-451 |
| Relationships | Denholme Cavendish, brother |
| Film | |
| |
| Appears | Timothy's Ordeal |
| Referenced | Sonmi's Orison |
| Actor | Jim Broadbent |
| Relationships | Denholme Cavendish, brother Georgette, sister-in-law, Ursula, lover |
| Character | |
Timothy Langland Cavendish is a divorced vanity book publisher in his sixties, the owner of Cavendish Publishing. He is featured in The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish - which consists of chapters 4 and 8.
Biography
The protagonist in the "Timothy Cavendish" chapters stumbles into success with his client's book, "Knuckle Sandwich," when the author suddenly pushes an unflattering critic over a twelfth story balcony. Escaping the author's thuggish relatives, he flees to a "hotel" recommended by his brother. The hotel, Aurora House, turns out to be a no-escape "rest home" for the elderly, run by the sadistic Nurse Noakes. Cavendish is trapped at the hotel for several weeks, during which time he has a mild (possibly induced) stroke. He finally escapes the facility with the aid of several other inmates, re-establishes his publishing business; and gets to work on his tale, "The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish," which he hopes to have made into a movie. Instead of returning to London, he settles in Edinburgh at a small inn where he can enjoy the relaxed countryside.
Quotes
- "What wouldn't I give now for a never-changing map of the ever-constant ineffable? To possess, as it were, an atlas of clouds."
- —Timothy Cavendish
Film portrayal
In the film adaptation, Timothy Cavendish is portrayed by actor Jim Broadbent.