#book continuity

The Snicket Siblings of the Previous Generation

Dinah Anwhistle (nee Snicket), the Toxicologist

Eleanor ‘E’ Snicket, the D.A. Investigator

In Which Some Members Of VFD Are Shown

Zacharias ‘Z’ Anwhistle, the [College] Professor

Jacob ‘Jake’ Snicket (nee McCoy), the Reporter

Viola Caliban, the Librarian/The First Madame Lulu

Face claim for Jacob: Sam Waterston (source: The Killing Fields, 1984)

Beatrice is the Baudelaire by Blood. Her father is an Anwhistle by Adoption (who can whistle with crackers in his mouth, thus fulfilling the ‘Anwhistle can whistle with crackers in their mouth’ inherit trait), and he married into the Baudelaire Family. The Baudelaire Family is not just one of the oldest families in VFD, but the richest family in VFD. The Anwhistle Family while isn’t as rich as the Baudelaires (they’re middle class), is the oldest VFD family.

Beatrice is not just part of one important VFD family; she’s part of two important VFD families.  As such, Beatrice is the only one of her generation to be be asked if she wanted to join VFD, because she’s a circumstantial case.

Beatrice was seven when asked to join VFD, and she said yes (had she said no, they would ask her again each year until she agrees). The VFD recruiter was Ishmael, for he was the VFD superior in charge of the City and its adjacent area. Beatrice’s family history did not exempt her from getting tattoo though; she unlike the others (who were taken to the infirmary with no answers given to them at the time), was warn about it ahead of time that she will be mark.

After Beatrice got her tattoo, when she was in recovery, she ended up sharing a room with a boy who she seen before but didn’t know well. Beatrice was convinced he was close to crying because of the tattoo (which in all honestly, did hurt), and she tried to cheer him up.

Bertrand is not the Baudelaire by Blood. Bertrand is a Baudelaire by Marriage. Bertrand also isn’t a Markson, despite people assuming so due to his closest with S. Theodora Markson, his former chaperone.

Bertrand is a Bronte (Brontë) by Adoption. His biological family is unknown; his parents got into a car accident when on the way to the hospital. All what Bertrand knows is that his father died instantly on impact. His mother survived long enough to give birth, but died before she could name him.

Three VFD members known as the Russell(s) witness the accident, and they helped his mother in her labor. The Russell(s) realized too late the boy’s mother died, so the Russell(s) decided to name the child after their own deceased father.

The Russell(s) raised him for two years. When the schism broke out, everything became a mess. Due to the chaos of people switching sides or leaving under superiors noses, no one on either side could figure out if Bertrand’s home was set on fire on purpose or accident. Regardless of what it was, all three Russell Siblings died in a fire that also destroyed their home.

Before either side could get to Bertrand, Mr. and Mrs. Bronte ended up taking in toddler Bertrand and raised them as their own son. The Bronte Family is a non-VFD family, so needless to say, this was a major problem.

For the next five years, Bertrand grew up with his brother Elwyn and his cousin Bertha (aka, the cousin who likes burning ants). Bertrand liked Elwyn more, to where Bertrand kept in touch with Elwyn even when getting recruited into VFD (and when leaving VFD).

Regarding his recruitment, Bertrand at seven got taken away from the Bronte Family. The VFD fire-starting side tracked down Bertrand, but it was the VFD fire-fighting side who got him; one male member pretended to be Bertrand’s biological uncle on his maternal side and the High Court was compromise by fire-fighting members.

:D The answer is...they’re ‘adopted’ brothers!

A headcanon of mind is that out of the three Anwhistle ‘Brothers’, Hector and Ike were very close with one another because they’re the same age.

at least until this re-read. now, when it comes to tua index. i usually gloss/skip over it. this re-read got me reading it all, and like, in-universe daniel handler is apparently connected to the photos? he may be the boy in the photos himself, given how he’s connected to vfd via lemony and most likely in the vfd meeting transcript as d (as if i’m going into meta levels due to the publication date, dewey doesn’t exist so he can’t be the d in the meeting at all)??

if the boy in the photos is in fact, in-universe daniel handler, and going by the timeline based of his age, jacques, and josephine since she is a j, are most likely children themselves, j in the letter is someone else entirely.

the only known candidate left for j is jacob snicket then.

i always took e’s dismay being unable to delay her investigation one more day as her upset with her children’s recruitment because she gave her approval of the taking, just not the timing. as e is part of a vfd family, it would make sense e isn’t as worried or that much in dismay, as she had some idea what was going to happen. e’s reaction to me is, ‘what the ever loving **** happened here did the date change? had i know i would have said goodbye damnit i’m the fool now’.

jacob in contrast, i have as the parent worried sick. he’s 100% worried out of his mind because he honestly thought he could trust four year old twins (i say four given kit say the schism started when she was at that age) to take care of their baby brother when he’s out chopping wood (why is jacob chopping wood in the first place?) jacob’s reaction to me is, ‘oh my god i’m a terrible father why the hell did i chop wood all days what the ever loving **** is going on here?’

on the basis jacob is actually involve in a possible recruitment, him worried over two half cups of tea and his three missing children has me seeing jacob’s reaction in a new light:

while jacob is worried over his children’s disappearance, the worry stems on the fact he can’t figure out an explanation to tell e whey they’re gone, as he too has no idea what lead to vfd to pushing up the date sooner than either of them want.

Because of Ike’s name dropped, this means R’s letter was written while Ike was still alive (and I’m certain R would know when a volunteer die or is actually alive). While we don’t know how old is Ike, I always assumed Ike was around Lemony’s age or younger, since I could have sworn Ike was mention by Lemony in the Beatrice Letters but I think I was imagining it.

In any case, Ike and Kit were potentially close to one another to where Kit could trust Ike and possibly treated Ike as a younger brother (especially consider Lemony is on the run and Kit never saw Lemony again). Kit and Ike became close enough that Ike was 100% ready to keep important papers no questions ask, or little questions ask. 

Gregor is dead at this point. It’s not stated, but there’s a good chance Kit was involve by ‘ordering’ the hit because of her criticism. Ike could have connected the dots and felt betrayal by Kit, who he saw as a friend and possible big sister figure (especially if Ike and Gregor’s relationship became rocky due to the Medusoid Mycelium and Ike potentially turning to Kit to ‘replace’ Gregor).

Ike could have turn down -or ignore- Kit’s letters or phone calls about the letters. He could be ‘retired’ at this point, but Ike could also feel bitter and upset Kit wants Ike to stick his neck out for her and her brother, yet Kit thought it best to kill Gregor -Ike’s own brother- even after her fail warnings fall flat.

And Ike most likely broke all ties with Kit due to his loss, forcing Kit to send the letters to the dairy instead. 

Compare/Contrast:

L: What’s the matter with your hand?

M: No, that’s not what M meant, L. “At hand” is a phrase which here means “the matter we gathered to discuss”. As you get older, these expressions will be easier to understand. (The Unauthorized Autobiography, page 37)

“There is a theme restaurant located on the main street called the Anxious Clown. The food is dreadful, but I’m afraid you’ll have to eat there until you find a waiter who says to you the following sentence: “I didn’t realize this was a sad occasion.” That will indicate that he is one of us.” (The Unauthorized Autobiography, page 97).

WAITER: I didn’t realize this was a sad occasion.

MAN: Stop saying that! It’s not a sad occasion! I’m having lunch with my sister.” (The Unauthorized Autobiography, page 135)

Because the second L in the transcript needs someone to explain the phrase ‘at hand’, Larry may be the youngest SBG if one exclude Fernald’s from the SBG (Larry is second youngest in meeting given the second R says she’s nine years old). In the third passage, that happens post Wide Window, possibly around Jacques’s death in the Vile Village.

In any case, Larry and Jacques knew each other. Given the implication Larry is potentially the youngest SBG, Jacques and Larry could possibly see each other as brothers (a bit like Kit’s section; Lemony is on the run and Jacques never saw Lemony again and could have thought he died) and Jacques is ‘projecting’ Lemony onto Larry (both are ‘L’ after all).

Because of their possible sibling-esque relationship, Jacques 100% trust Larry with helping Lemony -his own brother- escape the country, and Larry kept his end of the task. Do Larry and Lemony personally knew each other? I like to think that the two knew enough of each other to give each other some respect, given their connection with Jacques. 

While a minor character, Larry is an active volunteer by the time of the Wide Window, as he says the coded sentence and nothing came out of it. He’s still active when Mr. Poe and Eleanora -two perfectly alive siblings- come to the Anxious Clown for lunch together.

Georgina is part of VFD, but it’s messy. There were many in-between members when the schism broke out, and they were ‘spilt’ into two. Those in the (pre)teen double digits are associated as being part of the original schism generation.

Georgina however, was nine. She got associated as being part of the next generation (aka, the eventual sugar bowl generation), and the ‘oldest’ on a technicality (the true oldest member is Monty) However, Georgina doesn’t think herself as part of their generation, or a member of VFD in fact.

During the schism and the initial chaos, Georgina got mistaken for dead in a fire (she was in a fire, but survived). Her parents decided that now it’s their chance to take back their daughter. They raise Georgina under a fake name, and they taught their daughter in their own questionable way.

VFD only realize she was alive after her parents death. At this point, Georgina was 20 and studying to become an optometrist, so VFD re-recruited her back in.

(So in 13SI, Moxie is implying Georgina is most likely unlicensed.)

It’s eventually made clear to both sides that her parents’ training has Georgina acting as a freelancer and wildcard. She uses her skills of hypnotism to the highest paying customer, but she will also sell out said customer if she sense a better deal going to be offer by someone else or not worth the price anymore.