• Baudelaire children’s parents kill in fire

• Duddy Kravitz’s mother had died

(pg 25) Minnie had died nine years ago and that, Max
figured, was why Duddy was such a puzzle.

• Kids could have learned more (such as Klaus could keep reading,
Violet more inventing, Sunny grown up) but parents’ death
halted studies
• Duddy could have been brought up better, but mother died.

• Baudelaires grew up in a wealthy, privileged home

• Duddy grew up on St. Urbain Street, Jewish ghetto

• Count Olaf has an outstanding amount of chores for Baudelaires

because the house is awfully messy (they become used)
• Duddy tells Yvette to ‘clean up his messes’ or lie for him.
(pg 238) “Listen, Yvette, when the guy comes about the bill
tomorrow I’m in Washington. I’m there with Hugh Thomas Calder.
You can’t say about what. Hush-Hush.”
(pg 265) “All right,” Yvette said, “but if you think I’m going to clean
this mess every night…”
(pg 273) He opened the door. “listen,” he said, “I’m getting into the
bath. Mix a couple of drinks and come in.”

• Count Olaf slaps Klaus

• Max slaps Duddy
(pg 28) Max slapped his face so hard that Duddy lost his balance
and fell against the counter.

• At Uncle Monty’s house, Monty was happen entertaining the

children
• Duddy, after is success, was entertaining Hersh and his friends
(pg 265) The girl came and brought to others with her. Mr. Friar
arrived. One of Hersh’s friends got on the phone and by ten-thirty
there were twelve people in the apartment, including the fierce
editor of Attack! Duddy sent Virgil out for more booze and began
a high score competition on the pinball machine. When the party
finally broke up at two a.m. or there-abouts he shouted, “Come
again. Come any time.”

• Aunt Josephine afraid of realtors (many irrational fears)

• Duddy afraid of people buying his land
(pg 345) “Dingleman’s offering more money than we are. Our
option’s only good for twenty-one days.” “I’ll get the money.
Don’t worry.” “There’s something else. According to the
agreement I signed we have to put up three hundred dollars
option money tomorrow morning. Have you got it?” “Oh, shit.”
 (pg 364) Duddy took a quick look at Virgil’s bank balance,
whistled, noted his account number and ripped out two cheques.
He forged the signature by holding the cheque and a letter Virgil
has signed up to the window and tracing slowly.

• Children are constantly given fake kindness by Count Olaf

• Duddy is given fake kindness by Mr. Dingleman when he is in
New York
(pg 158) Duddy went to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music
Hall. He visited the planetarium, he sent postcards to his father,
Lennie, and Yvette, and he wandered up and down Broadway
until his legs ached.
(pg 165) There was no coffee in the tin, but the white sweet-
smelling dust inside meant nothing to him.

• Children constantly plead that Count Olaf is after them, no one

believes
• Duddy constantly pleads that he has a future for the land he is
buying; no one believes him
(pg 89) Without thinking, he said, “I’m gonna get me some land
one of these days. A man without land is nothing.”
(pg 105) “Did you laugh,” he shouted, “Tell me, did you laugh
when I told you about my plans for the future? I’ll bet you and
Irwin split your sides.” She flushed.