Brief note on major character of Goodbye Mr. Chips novel.

Elderly Mr. Chips is retired and reflecting on his life and career at Brookfield School. In his retirement, he opted to rent a room across from Brookfield and so he can visit as often as the weather and his health allows him. Mr. Chipping, nicknamed Mr. Chips, as a young man applied for a teaching position at Brookfield. He was aware of his less-than-stellar education and abilities—he did not receive rave reviews from the first school he taught. After gaining a teaching position at Brookfield, it took Chips a while before he felt comfortable in his new environment.

Although appearing as a somewhat solitary figure, Mr. Chips did have a personal relationship, though it was brief. He had never felt comfortable around women—thinking the ideal woman should be timid, delicate and weak. While on a summer vacation, he meets a young woman who comes to his rescue. Her name is Katherine Bridges. She is the antithesis of Chips' ideal woman—she is strong, opinionated and liberal. He marries Katherine, but just a brief year later she dies in childbirth. The child she was carrying died with his mother.

Although their time together was brief, Katherine changed the trajectory of Chips' life. By example, Katherine taught Chips to speak out against unfairness, love life, share joy and and above all to laugh. Chips is all but destroyed when Katherine dies but survives through the strength of her legacy and spirit. Katherine's qualities begin to emerge in Chips who then passes on the same values to his students. When Chips' life ends, he is comforted by the memory of the thousands of students he had over his many years at Brookfield.