Wilkie Collins’s seminal detective novel The Moonstone was one of the first novels to feature several different narrators. At the beginning of the story, Franklin Blake explains the format of the novel: “We have certain events to relate… and have certain persons concerned in those events who are capable of relating them. Starting from the plain facts, the idea is that we should all write the story of the Moonstone in turn---as far as our own personal experience extends, and no farther. (Collins 21-22) The reader must take into account the biases of each narrator in order to get at the meat of the mystery surrounding the Moonstone. Franklin Blake It is necessary for the reader to remember that Mr Franklin Blake is compiling and editing this novel. Drusilla Clack mentions that Mr Blake vetoes her idea to include some of her religious pamphlets in the book’s text, showing his power as the composer of this tale. Mr Blake also dismisses Gabriel Betteredge’s assertion that Mr Blake has multiple mindsets from the different countries he’s lived in, but later directly contradicts this dismissal. As a result, it must be kept in mind that Mr. Blake has potentially read and edited the others’ narratives before working on his own, meaning his bias could well extend from his own narrative into those of others. As an admirer and close relative of Miss Rachel Verinder, he wants to regain the Moonstone to try to win her heart. Mr Blake’s jealousy toward his cousin Godfrey Ablewhite-a man that also seeks Miss Verinder’s hand-his history of spending money and traveling, and the resulting ideas and debts he acquires from his travels are all further motivations of his character. Gabriel Betteredge Betteredge is commissioned by Mr Franklin Blake to start up the story because Blake thinks him to be the most involved individual in the earlier part of the novel. Betteredge easily strays from the topic at hand, having to try no less than three times to delve into the actual tale of the Moonstone. He is the steward of the Verinder household and has the unique ability to straddle between the servant and upper classes. As a result, he feels loyalty to his entire household, from Lady Verinder to the lower servants. When in doubt, his philosophy is to turn to Robinson Crusoe. He loves this book so much that he can just jump in on a random page and enjoy an escape from his real-life problems. He also uses the novel like a magic 8 ball at times: as a way to predict things like future courses of action and the arrival of a child into the family. Betteredge either enjoys puns or is too dimwitted to catch figures of speech. He states his opinions rather often, even though a good majority of them have no basis in fact. He rather just wants everyone to get along and is more than content with his place in the household and in life. He thinks highly of anything English, and whenever Mr Blake acts oddly, Betteredge attributes the behavior to his time in foreign schools. Betteredge has some sexist tendencies, including both his opinions of and treatment towards women. He assumes his reader is a married man, likely a descendant from the family he happily works for. Drusilla Clack Although a niece to the wealthy Lady Verinder, Miss Clack doesn’t inherit any of her fortune, which she claims is no big deal, but it obviously is. Miss Clack is also a hardcore, evangelical Christian and is always talking about saving people. She clearly has a crush on Godfrey Ablewhite, a love for one of his charities, and a dislike toward all of the other “heathens” in her family. She especially enjoys arguing with the lawyer, Mr Bruff. Mr Bruff Mr Bruff is characterized as a rather boring lawyer that is almost exclusively concerned with business. He doesn’t have time for arguments with people like Miss Clack, nor for science experiments. As the family’s lawyer, he takes a chief interest in their finances and the case of the Moonstone. He also thinks of himself as being pretty smart. Bruff admires the Indians for the respectful way in which they treated him after he refused to loan them money. He operates in the most practical manner and can’t take a joke. Ezra Jennings Ezra Jennings’s contribution to the novel is in the format of a journal, which, unlike the other narrations, is written during the time of events it describes. Jennings has a displeasing physical appearance, a mysterious bad reputation, and has experienced great trouble in the past. As a result, he lives a lonely life with little companionship. He spends most of his time occupied with practical and theoretical medicine, in addition to his writing. Jennings appreciates Mr Candy, Miss Verinder, and Franklin Blake for their kind treatment toward him. He is also writing this journal while dying and under the influence of opium, facts that must be considered. Sergeant Cuff The Sergeant, a famous detective, initially gets involved with the case because of Franklin Blake’s father, one of his acquaintances. He comes back later, out of retirement, as a gesture toward the kindness he received from Lady Verinder. Cuff is an astute detective that keeps his thoughts to himself and manipulates people so he can receive the information he needs to solve his cases. His favorite hobby is rose gardening, which leads to him pestering Lady Verinder’s gardener. Although Sergeant Cuff doesn’t look the part and acts awkward at times (between his love of roses and whistling), he is accurate in all of his predictions regarding the theft of the Moonstone. Mr Candy Mr Candy becomes ill following Miss Verinder’s birthday party and suffers from memory loss for the rest of the novel. He becomes too ill to take care of his patients, so that duty is left to Ezra Jennings. Mr Candy gets into an argument with Franklin Blake over the dinner, in which Blake dismisses Candy's trusted medicine as useless. Therefore, he has a grudge against Mr Blake. | 
