Francis Abernathy is a gay character om The Secret History. He is om Boston. He is studyg Greek along wh Richard Papen, Cala and Charl Maulay, Henry Wter, and Edmund Corran at Hampn College Vermont. He is an only child and his fay appears to be very wealthy, wh him...
Contents:
- WASHGTON, D.C.'S HIDN GAY HISTORY IS UNVERED 'SECRET CY'
- THE CLIQUE THE CLIQUE GENERAL AWOME, BUT IMPRACTIL: A SOMEWHAT CYNILLY IC POT IS MA A FEW TIM ABOUT HOW THE CLASSICS CLIQUE SPEND THOANDS ON SHY BRAND-NAME FOUNTA PENS AND SLEEK SIGNER CLOTH. WHILE THE EVINT GLAMOUR OF THE EMS IS ATTRACTIVE TO BOTH RICHARD AND THE REAR, THE CHARACTERS' ATTUS TOWARD THE EXPENSIVE EMS (ALONG WH THEIR ALTERNATE SRN OR BEWILRMENT AT CHEAPER SUBSTUT) IS ALSO SUBTLY MOCKED THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. THE BETIFUL ELE: RICHARD THKS THEY'RE ALL SO ATTRACTIVE, SO ENIGMATIC, SO SMART. THEY'RE ALSO RICH. HENRY AND FRANCIS ARE SO RICH THEY'LL NEVER HAVE A TO WORK. CHARL AND CALA ARE LS SO, BUT NOHELS WEALTHY ENOUGH THEIR FAY N SEND THEM TO HAMPN WHOUT ANY AID. BUNNY AND RICHARD PRETEND TO BE WEALTHY TO F WH THEM, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT. DIFFERENT AS THEY WERE THEY SHARED A CERTA OLNS, A CEL, MANNERED CHARM WHICH WAS NOT MORN THE LEAST BUT HAD A STRANGE LD BREATH OF THE ANCIENT WORLD: THEY WERE MAGNIFICENT CREATUR, SUCH EY, SUCH HANDS, SUCH LOOKS—SIC OCULOS, SIC ILLE MAN, SIC ORA FEREBAT. I ENVIED THEM, AND FOUND THEM ATTRACTIVE; MOREOVER THIS STRANGE QUALY, FAR OM BEG NATURAL, GAVE EVERY DITN OF HAVG BEEN TENSELY CULTIVATED. BLON, BTE, REDHEAD: CHARL, HENRY, AND FRANCIS RPECTIVELY. CULTURALLY RELIG: HENRY, FRANCIS, AND THE TWS WERE ALL RAISED CATHOLIC, WHILE BUNNY OM A WHE ANGLO-SAXON PROTTANT BACKGROUND, AND RICHARD HAS NO RELIG BACKGROUND AT ALL. NONE OF THE CLIQUE ARE RELIG THE DAYS — THEY'RE IRREVERENT LLEGE STUNTS FOR ONE, AND ALSO BEG TUTORED BY A MAN WHO'S TRYG TO IMPRS PAGAN SENSIBILI UPON THEM. NOHELS, THE CATHOLICS HAVE ENOUGH ALLEGIANCE TO THEIR CHILDHOOD RELIGN THAT BUNNY'S ANTI-CATHOLIC TIRAS GET UNR THEIR SK. WHERE REALLY SHOWS, THOUGH, IS THE ATHETICS. THEY ALL HAVE THE ATHETICS OF THEIR RELIG UPBRGGS STAMPED TO THEM. THE DARK AMIA ATHETIC IS VERY CATHOLIC — OLD, NT, DRAMATIC — AND THE CATHOLIC KIDS ARE THE REAL RE OF THE CLIQUE, THE TLY ATHETIC ON. BUNNY IS ATHETILLY VERY PROTTANT, AND THAT CLASH WH THE GROUP. DZY GENI: THE CLASSICS CLIQUE ARE IALLY TRODUCED AS A GENI BOOK CLUB. ONCE RICHARD ACTUALLY STARTS HANGG OUT WH THEM, WE START TO LEARN THEY'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY IMPRACTIL PEOPLE OUTSI OF THEIR STUDI (HENRY'S BIZARRE AND NVOLUTED PLANS TO VER UP THE MURR). THEY ARE SHOWN TO BE BIZARRELY TECHNOLOGILLY ILLERATE, EERILY UNAWARE OF ANY HISTORY THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE SCE ABOUT 1940 (HENRY HAS NEVER HEARD OF THE MOON LANDG!), AND TO HAVE TROUBLE PREHENDG NTEMPORARY ATTUS TOWARDS A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS (CALA ENDS UP COMILLY MISSG THE POT OF AN ANTI-WAR FILM). FAY OF CHOICE: CHARL AT ONE POT SUGGTS THAT AFTER GRADUATN THEY ULD ALL LIVE TOGETHER THE UNTRY HOE (EXCEPT FOR BUNNY, WHO WOULD JT E UP ON WEEKENDS). IT'S AN ARRTED VELOPMENT FANTASY, IMAGG THAT THGS ULD NTUE EXACTLY AS THEY ARE NOW FOR THE RT OF THEIR LIV. RICHARD IS ABSOLUTELY ENAMORED WH THE IA. SUBVERTED AND DENSTCTED THAT DON'T WORK OUT. NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ADORE YOUR IEND GROUP RIGHT NOW, WHOUT THE OBLIGATNS OF KSHIP TO HOLD YOU TOGETHER WHEN TIM GET TOUGH, WON'T LAST. THEIR GROUP FALLS APART UNR THE WEIGHT OF THE BLACKMAIL, MURR, VAR PLOTS, GENERAL BACKSTABBG AND A LOVE DOHEDRON. RICHARD PAPEN JOHN RICHARD PAPENTHE NOVEL'S NARRATOR AND A SCHOLARSHIP STUNT AT HAMPN LLEGE. ABIVE PARENTS: RICHARD'S FATHER IS MENTNED AS BEG VERBALLY AND PHYSILLY ABIVE TO BOTH HIM AND HIS MOTHER. AMBIGUOLY BI: HE HAS SPICLY SPECIFIC DENIAL, NSTANTLY REMDG THE REAR HAVE I MENTNED I AM HETEROSEXUAL TODAY? NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHG WRONG WH THAT! THE GREEKS WERE GAY, AND FRANCIS IS GAY, AND THIS IS FE. BUT RICHARD IS STRAIGHT, AS HE REMDS THE REAR MORE OFTEN THAN NECSARY. RICHARD CLAIMS HE HAS GOOD GAYDAR BEE HE'S SO NOT GAY. YEAH, SURE RICHARD, THAT'S A THG... SORT OF TENSN, WHICH I, BEG RATHER MORE DISCLED THAT WAY THAN NOT, AM QUICK TO PICK UP ON. RICHARD IS AWE OF THE WHOLE CLIQUE, BUT CALA AND HENRY PARTICULAR HE SCRIB THE ROMANTICIZED MANNER OF A CSH. IN TERVIEWS, DONNA TARTT HAS SAID MORE THAN ONCE THAT IF RICHARD WERE GENR FLIP, THIS NEW RENDN OF THE MA CHARACTER WOULD SEEM TOO LOVE WH HENRY. (SEE YMMV'S HO YAY LISTG FOR TAILS.) RICHARD MAK OUT WH FRANCIS ONCE, AND WAS ON TRACK TO GO FURTHER IF THEY HADN'T BEEN TERPTED. CONTEMPLATE OUR NAVELS: AS AN OBSERVANT OUTSIR, RICHARD NSTANTLY ANALYZ HIS BEHAVR AND MOTIV REGARDG WHAT HE DID BEFORE HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE OTHER CHARACTERS WERE UP TO. CHICK MAG: RICHARD ATTRACTS ATTENTN OM JUDY POOVY, MONA BEALE, SOPHIE DEARBOLD, AND A FEW UNNAMED FEMALE CHARACTERS ARE IMPLIED OR DIRECTLY SHOWN TO BE ATTRACTED TO HIM. FRANCIS ALSO ATTEMPTS TO SLEEP WH HIM ON TWO SEPARATE OCSNS. THE FACT THAT RICHARD GOT TO JULIAN'S HANDPICKED-ALL-BETIFUL CLASS SUGGTS HE MIGHT BE A PRETTY BOY. FATAL FLAW: THE OPENG L OF THE BOOK:DO SUCH A THG AS "THE FATAL FLAW," THAT SHOWY DARK CRACK NNG DOWN THE MIDDLE OF A LIFE, EXIST OUTSI LERATURE? I ED TO THK DIDN'T. NOW I THK DO. AND I THK THAT ME IS THIS: A MORBID LONGG FOR THE PICTURQUE AT ALL STS. FIRST-PERSON PERIPHERAL NARRATOR: THE STORY IS UNQUTNABLY ABOUT THE OTHER STUNTS PROFSOR JULIAN MORROW'S CLIQUE, ALL OF WHOM ARE FAR MORE SISTER AND HAVE WAY MORE SECRETS, BUT RICHARD IS OUR NARRATOR.DONNA TARTT TERVIEW: IT WAS OBV TO ME OM THE OUTSET THAT THIS BOOK HAD TO BE TOLD OM THE POT OF VIEW OF A FIRST-PERSON NARRATOR. IT WAS SENTIAL THAT ONE NEVER KNOW WHAT THE OTHER CHARACTERS ARE THKG. THERE ULDN'T BE AN OMNISCIENT VIEWPOT — YOU ULD NEVER GO TO HENRY'S MD OR TO JULIAN — BEE THIS IS A NOVEL OF HOW THE NARRATOR IS SORT OF GRADUALLY DRAWN TO THIS AND GRADUALLY FOOLED, AND THE REAR SHOULD BE FOOLED ALONG WH HIM. HATED HOMETOWN: HIS FEELGS TOWARD PLANO, CALIFORNIA. HYPOCRE: HE LOOKS DOWN ON JUDY FOR BEG A KEHEAD, EVEN THOUGH HE MENTNS DOG QUE A B OF E HIMSELF. I JT WANT TO BE SPECIAL: WANTS NOTHG MORE THAN TO BE ONE OF THE EL AND PE THE AGGRSIVE NORMALCY OF HIS CHILDHOOD. HENRY TAK ADVANTAGE OF THIS WHEN TELLG RICHARD ABOUT THE MURR OF THE FARMER, KNOWG THAT RICHARD WILL BE SO PLEASED ABOUT BEG LET ON THE SECRET THAT HE WON'T TELL ANYONE ELSE. LOVG A SHADOW: RICHARD'S CSH ON CALA IS WEIRD. HE IMAG HER FAR MORE NOCENT THAN SHE IS; FACT SHE'S HENRY'S CLOST NFIDANT THE GROUP. IN THE VERY FIRST GREEK CLASS, RICHARD SAYS HE DON'T STAND A CHANCE WH HER WHEN SHE'S NSTANTLY SURROUND BY THE "CLEVER RICH BOYS DARK SUS". IF HE WERE TO ATTRACT HER ATTENTNS, THAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE SYMBOL THAT HE'S JT AS GOOD AS THEM. MIDDLE NAME BASIS: HE FILLS OUT HIS SCHOOL APPLITN, "NAME: JOHN RICHARD PAPEN." THIS NAME IS NEVER MENTNED AGA. THE REWATCH BON IMPLITN IS THAT JOHN IS PROBABLY HIS FATHER'S NAME, WHICH HE DON'T WANT TO E. NEW TRANSFER STUNT: HE DO TWO YEARS OF MUNY LLEGE—ONE OF PRE-MED, ONE OF ENGLISH— PLANO BEFORE TRANSFERRG TO HAMPN. THE RT OF THE CLIQUE HAS BEEN TOGETHER SCE HMAN YEAR. THE NONSCRIPT: RICHARD LOVGLY SCRIB THE APPEARANC OF HIS IENDS, BUT NOT HIMSELF. HE MENTNS HE'S "PRONE TO ECKL", AND THAT'S . O.O.C. IS SER BS: WHILE SLOWG EEZG TO ATH OVER THE WTER, HE FALLY GETS TO A POT WHERE HE'S SPERATE ENOUGH THAT HE LLS HIS PARENTS, WHO HE ONLY EVER TALKS ABOUT WH APATHY AND DISLIKE. PASS FAIL: RICHARD IS OM A VERY MOST BACKGROUND AND. SEVERAL OF THE OTHERS THE GREEK CLASS E OM ENOUGH FAY MONEY THAT THEY WILL NEVER HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVG. RICHARD TRI SPERATELY TO F WH HIS WEALTHIER PEERS. INIALLY HE GETS BY ON LI AND THRIFT-STORE CLOTH, BUT HIS NEW IENDS START PICKG UP THE TTH AFTER A WHILE. IT'S NEVER OPENLY DISCSED THE GROUP, THOUGH, BEG AN OPEN SECRET. PERPETUAL FROWNER: HE HAS RTG BCH FACE.ALL MY LIFE, PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN MY SHYNS FOR SULLENNS, SNOBBERY, BAD TEMPER OF ONE SORT OR ANOTHER. "STOP LOOKG SO SUPERR!" MY FATHER SOMETIM ED TO SHOUT AT ME WHEN I WAS EATG, WATCHG TELEVISN, OR OTHERWISE MDG MY OWN BS. BUT THIS FACIAL ST OF ME (THAT'S WHAT I THK IS, REALLY, A WAY MY MOUTH HAS OF TURNG DOWN AT THE RNERS, HAS LTLE TO DO WH MY ACTUAL MOODS) PSDO-ROMANTIC FRIENDSHIP: RICHARD BASILLY HAS A CSH ON THE CLIQUE AS A WHOLE. HE'S PTIVATED BY, AWE OF THE GROUP — THEY'RE SO BETIFUL, SO SMART, SO ENIGMATIC, SO OTHERWORLDLY. WHEN CHARL BRGS UP THE POSSIBILY OF THEM LIVG TOGETHER AS ADULTS, RICHARD THKS 'S THE BT THG HE'S EVER HEARD. HE THKS ABOUT THE SEXUAL POTENTIALY ALL OF HIS IENDS — NOT WH HIM, PER SE, BUT SOMEWHERE. HE GO ON FOR A PAGE AND A HALF ABOUT ULD THERE BE SOMETHG BETWEEN HENRY AND BUNNY; WHEN HE FDS OUT THE TWS HOOK UP SOMETIM HE ADMS THE IA HAD CROSSED HIS MD BEFORE, AND HE'D BEEN TURNED ON BY . SCHOLARSHIP STUNT: RICHARD GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO HI HIS LOWER-MIDDLE CLASS UPBRGG OM HIS RICH IENDS.GE LAFUE: FRANKLY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER HEARD OF [JULIAN] ACCEPTG A PUPIL WHO IS ON SUCH NSIRABLE FANCIAL AID. [...] I AM WILLG TO SPECULATE THAT HE ISN'T AWARE YOU ARE ON ASSISTANCE. RICHARD: WELL, IF HE DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT GOG TO TELL HIM. SIXTH RANGER: THE CLIQUE HAVE ALL BEEN CLASSMAT FOR A WHILE BEFORE HE JOS. EVEN AFTER HE'S RPORATED TO THE GROUP—VED TO THE TWS' WEEKLY DNER PARTI AND WEEKENDS THE UNTRY AT FRANCIS'S NT'S HOE—HE'S STILL THE ODD ONE OUT. RICHARD IS NOT LET ON THE BACCHANAL THG THAT EVERYONE ELSE—EVEN BUNNY IALLY—IS VED TO. AND EVERYONE ELSE KNOWS CHARL AND CALA ARE A THG EXCEPT HIM. TOO DUMB TO LIVE: UNACCTOMED TO VERMONT'S EEZG TEMPERATUR AND UNAWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF SPACE HEATERS, HE NEARLY DI OF HYPOTHERMIA DURG WTER BREAK TRYG TO TOUGH OUT A RENTED ROOM HE DON'T REALIZE IS UNSAFE (SPE THE HOLE THE ROOF). UNRELIABLE NARRATOR: BY HIS OWN ADMISSN. RICHARD'S ADMIRATN AND AFFECTN FOR JULIAN AND THE MURR CLIQUE (THOUGH MOSTLY HENRY AND CALA) RULTS A PICTURE OF EACH OF THEM THAT MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY REPRENTATIVE OF WHO THEY TLY ARE. HE ALSO EQUENTLY LI TO HIS IENDS SO THAT THEY'LL HAVE A BETTER IMPRSN OF HIM, WHICH SUGGTS HE MAY BE DOG THE SAME WH THE DIENCE. HENRY WTER HENRY MARCHBANKS WTERA TALL STOIC WH HARD FEATUR AND A GENI OF LGUISTICS, HENRY IS THE MYSTER CHARACTER AT THE HEART OF THE NOVEL. ABIVE PARENTS: IMPLIED TROPE. HENRY IS MOSTLY TRANGED OM HIS FATHER FOR NO REASON THAT WE EVER LEARN. AS A CHILD, HENRY SUFFERED A SER JURY THAT GAVE HIM PERMANENT FACIAL SRRG, AND BUNNY SAYS HENRY GETS UNFORTABLE TALKG ABOUT . BUNNY UP WH AN EXPLANATN VOLVG A R ACCINT, BUT THAT'S PURELY HIS OWN NJECTURE AND DON'T SEEM TO BE TE — HENRY "DROVE FAST AND OFTEN RECKLSLY," WHICH IS NOT THE BEHAVR YOU'D EXPECT OM A MAN WHO'S BEEN A SER R ACCINT.BUNNY: HENRY HAD A BAD ACCINT WHEN HE WAS A LTLE BOY. GOT H BY A R OR SOMETHG AND NEARLY DIED. [...] RICHARD: H BY A R? BUNNY: I THK THAT'S WHAT WAS. CAN'T THK WHAT ELSE ULD'VE BEEN. HE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT . AFFABLY EVIL / ANTI-VILLA / SOCPATHIC HERO: HE DO SEVERAL THGS THE STORY THAT ARE FELY VERY BAD, BUT HE HAS GENUELY POSIVE QUALI AS WELL — EVEN SAVG RICHARD'S LIFE AT ONE POT. AMBIGUOLY BI: ACRDG TO RICHARD'S GAYDAR, HENRY IS THE STRAIGHTT OF THE GROUP, AND HE CLEARLY LOV CALA. YET IF ANY OF THEM HAD AN AFFAIR WH JULIAN (AS LAFUE ALLUS TO) UNDOUBTEDLY WOULD'VE BEEN HENRY. RICHARD SAW HENRY KISS JULIAN ON THE CHEEK WHEN THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE ALONE. HENRY'S THE ONLY ONE WHO'S BEEN TO JULIAN'S HOE. THEY'RE BOTH THE SORT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE TO LOVER AND BELOVED JT BEE 'S AN ANCIENT GREEK THG.HENRY: I LOVED HIM [JULIAN] MORE THAN ANYONE THE WORLD. BORN THE WRONG CENTURY: THIS APPLI TO THE WHOLE CLIQUE, BUT IS PECIALLY PRONOUNCED WH HENRY; WHEN REARCHG POISONS, HIS FIRST STRATEGY IS TO SEEK OUT ANCIENT PERSIAN TEXTS ON THE SUBJECT. HE HAD NO IA HUMAN BEGS HAD LAND ON THE MOON UNTIL RICHARD TELLS HIM. THE GROUP ALL NSULT RICHARD WH MEDIL QUTNS BEE HE TOOK ONE YEAR OF PRE-MED, AND RICHARD REPORTS HENRY OCSNALLY ASKG "A PERFECTLY SER QUTN ABOUT HUMORS".I HAD BEEN TOLD BY THE TWS THAT HENRY DISLIKED ELECTRIC LIGHTS, AND HERE AND THERE I SAW KEROSENE LAMPS THE WDOWSILLS. BYRONIC HERO: HIS LARGE-SLE CHARACTER FLAWS ARE EXACTLY WHAT MAKE HIM SO TERTG. CATCHPHRASE: DOWNPLAYED TROPE, ED ONLY OCSNALLY BUT DISTCTIVE: "TO MY WAY OF THKG." THE CHSMASTER: OVER THE URSE OF THE NOVEL, RICHARD REALIZ THAT HENRY LEAV LTLE TO ACCINT AND THAT HIS PLOTS ARE ALWAYS MORE PLEX THAN THEY IALLY APPEAR. CHRONIC BACKSTABBG DISORR: BY THE END OF THE BOOK, HENRY HAS ACCINTALLY KILLED A FARMER, MURRED BUNNY, TRIED TO KILL CHARL, AND WAS APPARENTLY PLANNG SOMETHG FOR RICHARD BEE YOU HAVE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNS. CUNNG LGUIST:RICHARD: HOW MANY LANGUAG DO HE KNOW? BUNNY: I LOST UNT. SEVEN OR EIGHT. HE N READ HIEROGLYPHICS. RICHARD: WOW. BUNNY: HE'S A GENI, THAT BOY. HE ULD BE A TRANSLATOR FOR THE UN IF HE WANTED TO BE. DZY GENI: HE N BE CREDIBLY IMPRACTIL (NOT THAT HE'LL SEE THAT WAY), WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS THE GAMB PILP ULTIMATELY TOPPL. DRIVEN TO SUICI: HENRY'S ULTIMATE FATE AT THE END OF THE NOVEL. FOUR EY, ZERO SOUL / STOIC SPECTACL: HENRY WEARS GLASS, AND GENERALLY OFF PRETTY LD AND EMOTNLS AND DO SOME REPREHENSIBLE THGS THROUGH THE STORY. GENI BISER: HENRY DO NOT HAVE THE PHYSIQUE TYPILLY ASSOCIATED WH SCHOLARS. HE'S STRONG — REALLY STRONG. STRONG ENOUGH TO SUGGT HE MT WORK OUT, AT LEAST A LTLE, SPE THAT NOT SEEMG LIKE A VERY HENRY-LIKE ACTIVY. THIS MAY BE RELATED TO HIS DISABILI (SUBTILTY IMPLIED TO BE THE RULT OF A CHILDHOOD BEATG OM AN ABIVE FATHER) AND NOT WANTG TO BE PHYSILLY VULNERABLE. GENI CRIPPLE / HANDIPPED BADASS: HENRY WALKS WH A SLIGHT LIMP, HIS EY AREN'T VERY GOOD, AND HE IS PRONE TO MIGRA.BUNNY: HENRY HAD A BAD ACCINT WHEN HE WAS A LTLE BOY. GOT H BY A R OR SOMETHG AND NEARLY DIED. HE WAS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A UPLE YEARS, HAD TUTORS AND STUFF, BUT FOR A LONG TIME HE ULDN'T DO MUCH BUT LIE BED AND READ. I GUS HE WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO N READ AT LLEGE LEVEL WHEN THEY'RE ABOUT TWO YEARS OLD. [...] [LOWERS HIS VOICE] KNOW THE WAY HE PARTS HIS HAIR, SO FALLS OVER THE RIGHT EYE? THAT'S BEE THERE'S A SR THERE. ALMOST LOST THE EYE, N'T SEE OUT OF TOO GOOD. AND THE STIFF WAY HE WALKS, SORT OF A LIMP. NOT THAT MATTERS, HE'S STRONG AS AN OX. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE DID, LIFT WEIGHTS OR WHAT, BUT HE CERTALY BUILT HIMSELF BACK UP AGA. A REGULAR TEDDY ROOSEVELT, OVERG OBSTACL AND ALL. [LATER] JULIAN: HENRY'S NOT AS STRONG AS HE LOOKS. HIS EY BOTHER HIM, HE HAS TERRIBLE HEADACH, SOMETIM HE HAS A DIFFICULT TIME... GRACEFUL THEIR ELEMENT: HENRY IS GENERALLY STOIC, RATHER STILTED AND WHDRAWN, BUT GREEK HE BE MORE FORTABLE AND MONSTRATIVE... MAK ME SE, EVEN TODAY, TO THK OF HENRY'S LCULATED, FORMAL ENGLISH, THE ENGLISH OF A WELL-TED FOREIGNER, AS PARED WH THE MARVELO FLUENCY AND SELF-ASSURANCE OF HIS GREEK — QUICK, ELOQUENT, REMARKABLY WTY. IT WAS ALWAYS A WONR TO ME WHEN I HAPPENED TO HEAR HIM AND JULIAN NVERSG GREEK, ARGUG AND JOKG, AS I NEVER ONCE HEARD EHER OF THEM DO ENGLISH; MANY TIM, I'VE SEEN HENRY PICK UP THE TELEPHONE WH AN IRRABLE, UT "HELLO," AND MAY I NEVER FET THE HARSH AND IRRISTIBLE LIGHT OF HIS "KHAIREI!" WHEN JULIAN HAPPENED TO BE AT THE OTHER END. HATED HOMETOWN: A LTLE-DISCSED TRA HENRY SHAR WH RICHARD. IT ULD BE BEE HENRY OM ST LOUIS, MISSOURI, WHICH THE BOOK AM AS BLAND. THIS ULD ALSO BE ANOTHER TAIL IMPLYG THAT HENRY — LIKE RICHARD — HAS AN ABIVE FATHER.HENRY: [TO RICHARD] YOU'RE NOT VERY HAPPY WHERE YOU E OM, ARE YOU? [BEAT] DON'T WORRY. YOU HI VERY CLEVERLY. [BEAT] THE OTHERS REALLY DON'T UNRSTAND THAT SORT OF THG, YOU KNOW. HIDG THE HANDIP: DOWNPLAYED TROPE, BUT HENRY HAS "LONG SR AT HIS HAIRLE, ALL NTED AND PUCKERED, WH RIDG OF WHE FLH CUTTG ACROSS TO THE BROWBONE". HE PARTS HIS HAIR SO THAT VERS THE SR OM VIEW. INSUFFERABLE GENI: HE DON'T SEE ANYONE AS HIS EQUAL, PECIALLY HIS PEERS, AND THIS SEEPS TO HIS DAILY TERACTNS. INTELLIGENCE EQUALS ISOLATN: HENRY IS THE BT AT GREEK THE GROUP, AND IS OBVLY VERY TELLIGENT AND KNOWS MANY LANGUAG, AND ALSO DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY IENDS OUTSI THE GREEK CLASS NOR ANY TERT MAKG ANY. LACK OF EMPATHY: BY HIS OWN ADMISSN. HE CLAIMS TO NOTICE THE SAME TRA RICHARD.LONELY RICH KID: IN HIS CHILDHOOD: HIS FAY IS VERY RICH AND HE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN IENDLS OR NEARLY SO.-->MAN OF WEALTH AND TASTE / WICKED CULTURED--> NEAT FREAK: RICHARD SCRIB HIM AS "CLEAN AS A T" AND MENTNS HOW HE NEVER TAK HIS AT OFF WHOUT PLACG ON A HANGER. PET THE DOG: HENRY DO SAVE RICHARD OM EEZG TO ATH THE VERMONT WTER, TAKG HIM TO THE HOSPAL AND BRGG HIM TO HIS APARTMENT TO RECUPERATE. HENRY IS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE GREEK CLASS TO TERVENE WHEN CHARL BE ABIVE TOWARDS CALA, GIVG HER A PLACE TO STAY AND HI OM HIM. ACRDG TO CALA, THE ONLY REASON HENRY DIDN'T SUGGT AN ANIMAL-KILLG BLOOD SACRIFICE AFTER KILLG BUNNY, AS HE HAD AFTER THE BACCHANAL CINT, IS THAT HE THOUGHT WOULD UPSET RICHARD. RED ONI, BLUE ONI: HENRY AND BUNNY WERE ROOMMAT HMAN YEAR. ACRDG TO THE TWS, THEY WERE PRETTY GOOD IENDS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE BOOKS.CALA: HENRY'S SO SER AND BUN'S SO SORT OF—WELL, NOT SER—THAT THEY REALLY GET ALONG QUE WELL. CHARL: Y, L'ALLEGRO AND IL PENSEROSO. A WELL-MATCHED PAIR. I THK BUNNY'S ABOUT THE ONLY PERSON THE WORLD WHO N MAKE HENRY LGH. RENAISSANCE MAN: HENRY, THOUGH HE'S MORE OF AN OLD ROMAN THAN A RENAISSANCE MAN. HE "N GROW FLOWERS, REPAIR CLOCKS LIKE A JEWELLER, ADD TREMENDO SUMS HIS HEAD." HE ALSO SPEAKS EIGHT LANGUAG AND N READ HIEROGLYPHICS. SCREW THE RUL, I HAVE MONEY!: JULIAN'S, AND THEREFORE HENRY'S, GENERAL ATTU. THE STOIC: GENERALLY SHOWS LTLE EMOTN. TALL, DARK, AND SNARKY: HE IS TALL, DARK-HAIRED AND OFTEN A B LD AND TO OTHERS. BUNNY CORRAN EDMUND "BUNNY" GRAYN CORRANHAILG OM A BANKG FAY, BUNNY IS LOUD AND EXTROVERTED AND MAK IENDS EASILY. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM THOUGH, HE TENDS TO MOOCH OFF IENDS AND HAS A SPECIAL TALENT FOR FDG THEIR WEAK SPOTS... ASSHOLE VICTIM: HE WASN'T THE MOST PLEASANT PERSON EVEN BEFORE TCHG WD OF HIS IENDS' MASQUERA, BUT AFTER LEARNG ABOUT THE MURR THEY MTED HE BE MANIC, UNPREDICTABLE, DOWNRIGHT CEL, AND IMPOSSIBLE TO AL WH. BIG, SCREWED-UP FAY / FRDIAN EXCE: THE CORRANS. OH GOD, THE CORRANS. CHARL GO ON A B OF A TIRA ABOUT , NOTG THAT BUNNY WAS THE BT OF THEM. THE SHALLOW (HIS FATHER) AND LLO (HIS MOTHER) PARENTS ARE SUPREMELY NCERNED WH APPEARANC.CHARL: I JT NEVER MET SUCH A BUNCH OF GREEDY, SHALLOW PEOPLE. YOU LOOK AT THEM AND THK, OH, WHAT A TASTEFUL, ATTRACTIVE FAY BUT THEY'RE JT A BUNCH OF ZEROS, LIKE SOMETHG OM AN AD. BOISTERO BISER BOOK DUMB: HE'S A TERRIBLE SCHOLAR BUT A GIFTED ARTIST AND AN ASTUTE OBSERVER.HENRY: IF I WERE MR. CORRAN, I WOULD HAVE SET BUNNY UP BS OR HAD HIM LEARN A TRA AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. BUNNY HAS NO BS BEG LLEGE. HE ULDN'T EVEN READ UNTIL HE WAS ABOUT TEN YEARS OLD. RICHARD: HE DRAWS WELL. HENRY: I THK SO, TOO. HE CERTALY HAS NO GIFT FOR SCHOLARSHIP. THEY SHOULD'VE APPRENTICED HIM TO A PATER WHEN HE WAS YOUNG STEAD OF SENDG HIM TO ALL THOSE EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS FOR LEARNG DISABILI. ESTABLISHG CHARACTER MOMENT: WHEN RICHARD OVERHEARS HIM AND THE TWS WORKG ON THEIR GREEK HOMEWORK. BUNNY'S SUGGTNS ARE SLOPPY AND SOMEWHAT RANDOM AND HE'S EAGER TO FISH THE TRANSLATN WHOUT REALLY MAKG SURE THAT 'S RRECT. THE FRIEND NOBODY LIK: THE CLIQUE IS ATHETIC, SCHOLARLY, AND SULAR. BUNNY IS GCHE, NOT STUD, AND EXTROVERTED—WH MARN AND CLOKE, HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS A SOCIAL LIFE THAT EXTENDS BEYOND THE CLIQUE. BEFORE THE PLOT EVEN GETS GOG, BUNNY IS EXCLUD OM THE BACCHANAL FOR NOT BEG MTED ENOUGH. THAT IS HIS ORIGAL S. AFTERWARDS THEY CI THEY DON'T LIKE BUNNY BEE OF HIS GRATG PERSONALY, HIS BIGOTRY, AND HOW HE WON'T STOP THREATENG TO REVEAL THEIR SECRET. GREEN-EYED MONSTER: FOR ALL HIS APPARENT NFINCE, BUNNY IS JEALO OF NOT ONLY RICHARD, AS NFIRMED BY HENRY, BUT IMPLICLY OF ALL HIS IENDS FOR BEG WEALTHIER AND MORE TELLIGENT AND AMILLY GIFTED. HE KNOWS TOO MUCH: AND WON'T SHUT UP ABOUT . HYPER-AWARENS: HE'S VERY CLEVER WHEN TO NOTICG THGS AND PUTTG THEM TOGETHER. IDT BALL: BUNNY PICKS UP WHEN HE REALIZ THE TTH ABOUT THE FARMER'S ATH AND REF TO PUT DOWN. IMPLSIBLE DENIABILY: NOTED BY RICHARD AS A HAB OF HIS, TO THE POT WHERE HE ONCE EXPLAED A HICKEY BY SAYG THAT HE FELL DOWN SOME STAIRS. INFERRY SUPERRY COMPLEX: IMPLIED TROPE. BUNNY IS DYSLEXIC AND MAY HAVE OTHER LEARNG DIFFICULTI BIS. HIS FAY IS VERY NCERNED WH KEEPG UP APPEARANC, SO RATHER THAN STEAD OF FACG THE FACT THAT BUNNY JT ISN'T THAT BRIGHT AMILLY, THEY SENT HIM TO EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS WHERE HE STGGLED TO KEEP UP WH HIS PEERS. BUNNY IS 24, WHILE HIS IENDS ARE 20 AND 21, DUE TO BEG HELD BACK SCHOOL. HE STARTED STUDYG GREEK AT AGE 12, YOUNGER THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS, BUT IS STILL THE WORST AT . ADDNALLY, HIS FAY DID NOT PROVI HIM WH ENOUGH MONEY TO LIVE ON, WHICH DROVE BUNNY TO VELOP VAR MOOCHG STRATEGI. IT SEEMS LIKE HE FEELS FERR TO HIS IENDS, BOTH ENOMILLY AND AMILLY. HE MAK UP FOR WH A LOT OF BLTER, AND BY SNIFFG OUT HIS IENDS' WEAKNS AND NSTANTLY POKG AND PRODDG AT THEM. IT'S ALL ABOUT ME / LACK OF EMPATHY: BUNNY IS SUPREMELY SELFISH. HE PLAYS JOHN PHILIP SOA AT FULL VOLUME HIS DORM ROOM LATE AT NIGHT, STEALS FOOD OM EVERYONE, HIS IENDS FOR MONEY AND ENTERTAMENT, WAK THEM UP THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO RANT OR HI OM HIS GIRLIEND, LI TO THEM, IS PLETELY RELS WH THEIR POSSSNS, AND BE DOWNRIGHT TYRANNIL WHEN HE DISVERS THE BACCHANALIAN MURR. THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, HE NSISTENTLY ACTS AS IF HE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON THE WORLD. LIKE AN OLD MARRIED COUPLE: WH MARN.SHE AND BUNNY HAD A RELATNSHIP THE LIK OF WHICH I HAD SELDOM SEEN EXCEPT UPL MARRIED FOR TWENTY YEARS OR MORE, A RELATNSHIP WHICH VACILLATED BETWEEN THE TOUCHG AND THE ANNOYG. MOCK MILLNAIRE: BUNNY PRETENDS TO BE AS RICH AS HIS IENDS, BUT NEVER ACTUALLY HAS ANY MONEY ON HAND AND IS FOREVER MOOCHG OFF HIS IENDS. THIS IS REPORTEDLY SOMETHG HE LEARNED OM HIS PARENTS, WHO ALSO LIVE BEYOND THEIR MEANS.HENRY: FRANKLY, NO MATTER WHAT BUNNY TELLS YOU TO THE NTRARY, HE HASN'T A CENT AND NEHER DO HIS FATHER. [...] THEY MAY HAVE HAD MONEY ONCE, BUT IF SO THEY SPENT LONG AGO. THAT TERRIBLE HOE OF THEIRS MT HAVE ST A FORTUNE, AND THEY MAKE A BIG SHOW OF YACHT CLUBS AND UNTRY CLUBS AND SENDG THEIR SONS TO EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS, BUT THAT'S GOT THEM BT TO THE EYEBROWS. THEY MAY LOOK WEALTHY, BUT THEY HAVEN'T A DIME. I EXPECT MR. CORRAN IS ABOUT BANKPT. [...] BUNNY'S NEVER HAD A CENT OF POCKET MONEY THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE KNOWN HIM. ODD FRIENDSHIP: HENRY AND BUNNY WERE SCHOOL-ASSIGNED ROOMMAT HMAN YEAR. THEY WERE REPORTEDLY BT IENDS FOR A FEW YEARS. BY THE TIME RICHARD JOS THE GROUP, 'S STARTG TO CMBLE.MR CORRAN: WHY, I'LL NEVER FET, WAS BUNNY'S FIRST NIGHT AT HAMPN, HE LLED ME UP ON THE TELEPHONE. "DAD," HE SAID TO ME, "DAD, YOU OUGHT TO SEE THIS NUT THEY GAVE ME FOR A ROOMMATE." "STICK OUT, SON," I TOLD HIM, "GIVE A CHANCE" AND BEFORE YOU ULD SP WAS HENRY THIS, HENRY THAT, HE'S CHANGG HIS MAJOR OM WHATEVER THE HELL WAS TO ANCIENT GREEK. POLILLY INRRECT HERO: WHILE HE MAY OR MAY NOT BE GENUELY BIGOTED AT HEART, HE DO GO OUT OF HIS WAY TO IRRATE HIS IENDS THROUGH LOUD, , POLILLY RRECT MENTS (AND, BEG EVERY CH THE NEW ENGLANR, HIS OFFENSIVE REMARKS ARE AIMED AT WHE CATHOLICS AND JEWS RATHER THAN WHAT AMERINS OM OTHER REGNS WOULD NSIR MORE OBV TARGETS, SUCH AS BLACK AMERINS OR HISPANICS). BOOMERANG BIGOT: HTED AT. BUNNY GO OUT OF HIS WAY TO SHOW OFF WHAT A WASP HE IS BY PLAG ABOUT CATHOLICS. HOWEVER, HIS LAST NAME IS IRISH AND HIS FAY ARE OFTEN NFED PUBLIC WH THE KENNEDYS, HTG THAT HIS ANCTORS MAY OFTEN NOT MEET THE QUALIFITNS FOR THE "P" WASP. HE-MAN WOMAN HATER / STAY THE KCHEN: AT ONE POT HE ASKS CALA TO IRON HIS SHIRT, AND THEN PLAS THAT SHE'LL NEVER GET A HBAND WH HER APPARENTLY AQUATE IRONG SKILLS. RED ONI, BLUE ONI: HENRY AND BUNNY WERE ROOMMAT HMAN YEAR. ACRDG TO THE TWS, THEY WERE PRETTY GOOD IENDS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE BOOKS.CALA: HENRY'S SO SER AND BUN'S SO SORT OF—WELL, NOT SER—THAT THEY REALLY GET ALONG QUE WELL. CHARL: Y, L'ALLEGRO AND IL PENSEROSO. A WELL-MATCHED PAIR. I THK BUNNY'S ABOUT THE ONLY PERSON THE WORLD WHO N MAKE HENRY LGH. TOO DUMB TO LIVE: BUNNY CORRAN, BOY TECTIVE. WHE ANGLO-SAXON PROTTANT: TO THE EXTENT THAT BUNNY IS ATHETIC AT ALL, HE'S ATHETIC THIS DIRECTN — ALL-AMERIN BOY, AT BOY LE. THIS IS NTRAST WH HIS BROODG, TENSE, ATHETILLY-CATHOLIC IENDS. FRANCIS ABERNATHY FRANCIS ABERNATHY BATH SUICI: ATTEMPTS ONE THE EPILOGUE. THE BEARD: MARRI PRISCILLA TO PLATE HIS HOMOPHOBIC GRANDFATHER AT THE END OF THE BOOK. BIG, SCREWED-UP FAY: JUDGG OM HIS IRON-FISTED GRANDFATHER, ABSURDLY YOUTHFUL MOTHER AND EVEN MORE ABSURDLY YOUTHFUL STEPFATHER, DISAPPEARED DAD, AND ASSORTED CRAZY CAT LADY NTS. BRILLIANT, BUT LAZY / IDLE RICH: FRANCIS IS GIFTED, BUT LACKS THE MOTIVATN TO GET HIMSELF OUT OF TROUBLE (OR STAND UP TO HENRY). AFTER HIS GRANDFATHER DISVERS THAT HE'S GAY, HE PREFERS TO GET MARRIED TO A DZY WOMAN RATHER THAN BE DISHERED AND ACTUALLY HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVG.BUNNY: YOU ASK ME, HE'S AS SMART AS HENRY. SOCIETY BOY, TONS OF MONEY. HE'S HAD TOO EASY, THOUGH. HE'S LAZY. LIK TO PLAY. WON'T DO A THG AFTER SCHOOL BUT DRK LIKE A FISH AND GO TO PARTI. THE CAMEO: IN AN ANOTHER DONNA TARTT NOVEL, THE GOLDFCH.OTHER IENDS, LIKE MR. ABERNATHY—MY DAD'S AGE, WH SOME ILL-ARTICULATED SNDAL OR DISGRACE HIS PAST—WERE SO MERCURIAL AND ARTICULATE, SO UTTERLY DISMISSIVE OF ME CIGARETTE OF ANXIETY: FRANCIS SUFFERS OM PANIC ATTACKS AND IS ALSO A VERY EQUENT SMOKER. THE DANDY: THE WHOLE GROUP WEARS AWOME ANACHRONISTIC APPAREL, BUT FRANCIS STILL STANDS OUT AS THE BT-DRSED ONE. HE GIV HIS HAND-ME-DOWN SUS TO CHARL AND RICHARD.I THOUGHT (ERRONEOLY) THAT HE DRSED LIKE ALED DOUGLAS, OR THE COMTE MONTQUU: BETIFUL STARCHY SHIRTS WH FRENCH CUFFS; MAGNIFICENT NECKTI; A BLACK GREATAT THAT BILLOWED BEHD HIM AS HE WALKED AND MA HIM LOOK LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN A STUNT PRCE AND JACK THE RIPPER. ONCE, TO MY LIGHT, I EVEN SAW HIM WEARG PCE-NEZ. (LATER, I DISVERED THAT THEY WEREN'T REAL PCE-NEZ, BUT ONLY HAD GLASS THEM, AND THAT HIS EY WERE A GOOD AL SHARPER THAN MY OWN.) DEPRAVED HOMOSEXUAL: WHILE HE SEEMS LIKE A NICE PERSON AND IS THE ONLY ONE WHO SEEMS TO GENUELY LIKE RICHARD, HE APPARENTLY OFTEN SLEEPS WH MEN WHO ARE EHER TOO DNK OR TOO HIGH TO SAY NO OR REALIZE WHAT'S HAPPENG. HE EVEN KEEPS TRYG TO SLEEP WH RICHARD EVEN AFTER HE REPEATEDLY TELLS HIM NO, AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH WH IF THEY WEREN'T TERPTED BY CHARL. FIERY REDHEAD: SUBVERTED. HE HAS A "FIERY MOP OF THE REDST HAIR I HAD EVER SEEN", BUT HE'S ACTUALLY LS EXTRA THAN MOST OF HIS IENDS. HYPOCHONDRIA: IT SEEMS TO BE A WAY FOR HIM TO EXPRS HIS ANXIETY AND TO ELIC NCERN AND RE OM OTHERS. RAISED BY GRANDPARENTS: HIS MOTHER HAD HIM AT 17, AND FRANCIS SAYS OF HIS CHILDHOOD, "THE GRANDPARENTS BROUGHT THEM UP LIKE BROTHER AND SISTER, HIM AND HIS MOTHER, BROUGHT THEM UP SUCH A MAGNANIMO STYLE THAT EVEN THE GOSSIPS WERE IMPRSED." THIS RULTS IS LARGELY HANDS-OFF PARENTG OM HIS MOTHER, AND HIS GRANDFATHER HAVG EXCSIVE NTROL OF HIS LIFE. TRANSPARENT CLOSET: FRANCIS ISN'T "OUT" EXACTLY, SOFAR AS BUNNY N SH-TALK GAY MEN RIGHT ONT OF FRANCIS AND THERE'S ENOUGH PLSIBLE DENIABILY THAT BUNNY N PRETEND 'S NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK. BUT EVERYONE KNOWS. LIKE EVERYONE. BEFORE RICHARD EVEN MEETS FRANCIS FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHEN HE'S WATCHG THE CLASSICS GROUP OM AFAR AND ASKG OTHER STUNTS AT HAMPTON THEM, "FURTHER QUIRI [ABOUT FRANCIS] ELICED SPICN OM MALE ACQUATANC, WHO WONRED AT MY TERT SUCH A PERSON." THERE'S NOT MUCH STEREOTYPILLY GAY ABOUT HIS PERSONALY, AND HE'S FAIRLY DISCRETE ABOUT HIS HOOKUPS WH MEN. BUT HE LOOKS GAY, A THE DANDY SORT OF WAY—HE'S SCRIBED AS LOOKG LIKE ALED DOUGLAS (AS OSR WIL'S BOYIEND) OR THE COUNT OF MONTQUU (BOTH 19TH CENTURY DANDI, BOTH GAY POETS). THE TWK: HE'S SLENR AND LITE, PECIALLY NTRAST WH HENRY AND BUNNY WHO ARE BOTH HUGE. AMONG HIS AMBIGUOLY BI IENDS, HE ROUNDGLY, EXCLIVELY HOMOSEXUAL. THE MAULAY TWS GENERAL HAIR OF GOLD, HEART OF GOLD: CHARL AND CALA ARE BLOND AND WHOLOME AND ANGELIC, AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK. HALF-INTIL TWS: CHARL AND CALA IALLY APPEAR TO NFORM TO THIS TROPE. AS THE PLOT UNRAVELS AND THEIR PERSONALY DIFFERENC BEE MORE APPARENT THEY LOSE THEIR UNED ONT (SEE TW DYNCH).SI BY SI, THEY WERE VERY MUCH ALIKE, SIARY LS OF LEAMENT THAN OF MANNER AND BEARG, A RRPONNCE OF GTURE WHICH BOUNCED AND ECHOED BETWEEN THEM SO THAT A BLK SEEMED TO REVERBERATE, MOMENTS LATER, A TWCH OF THE OTHER'S EYELID. LIGHT IS NOT GOOD: CHARL AND CALA WEAR A LOT OF WHE, ADDN TO LOOKG LIKE A PAIR OF ANGELS. RAISED BY GRANDPARENTS: AFTER THEIR PARENTS WERE KILLED A R ACCINT, THE TWS ARE RAISED BY THEIR LOVG GRANDMOTHER. RED ONI, BLUE ONI: CALA IS THE STOIC BLUE TO CHARL'S HOTHEAD RED. THEME TW NAMG: THEY HAVE ALLERATIVE FAY NAM. TWCTBUNNY: KDA CLASSIL, TOO. THOSE GREEKS RRIED ON WH THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS LIKE NOBODY'S— TW DYNCH: RICHARD IALLY TRODUC CHARL AND CALA AS HALF-INTIL TWS. AS THE PLOT UNRAVELS AND THEIR PERSONALY DIFFERENC EMERGE THEY LOSE THEIR UNED ONT. IN NTRAST TO THEIR EARLIER SCRIPTNS, SOMEONE REMARKS THAT FOR TWS THEY DON'T LOOK MUCH ALIKE AT ALL. AT THE END, YEARS AFTER THE ROLUTN OF THE MA PLOT, THEY BARELY SPEAK TO EACH OTHER ANYMORE.SCLA: DID YOU LOOK MORE ALIKE WHEN YOU WERE LTLE KIDS? I MEAN, THERE'S A FAY REMBLANCE, BUT YOUR HAIR'S NOT EVEN QUE THE SAME LOR. CHARL MAULAY CHARL MAULAYCALA'S HANDSOME TW BROTHER. A GOOD-NATURED YOUNG MAN WH A FONDNS FOR ALHOL. AFFECTNATE NICKNAME: CHARL LLS CALA "MILLY". BILGUAL BON — GREEK, "MéLI" MEANS "HONEY".CHARL: MILLY, MY GIRL. WHERE ARE YOU, HONEY? ALHOL-INDUCED BISEXUALY / EXPERIMENTED COLLEGE: CHARL IS SLEEPG WH BOTH CALA AND FRANCIS ON AN ONGOG (IF EQUENT) BASIS. WHEN HE HOOKS UP WH FRANCIS 'S ALWAYS WHEN HE'S DNK, AND HE REF TO ACKNOWLEDGE AFTERWARDS.FRANCIS: AS FOR CHARL—WELL, BASILLY, HE LIK GIRLS. IF HE'S DNK, I'LL DO. ANIMAL LOVER: CHARL ADOPTS AN OLD GREYHOUND AT THE BEGNG OF THE YEAR, AND A STRAY T AT THE END OF THE YEAR. HE DIDN'T SEEK THEM OUT EHER SE, BUT WHEN THEY NEED A HOME, HE JUMPED AND TOOK THEM . BEWARE THE NICE ON: IN THE EARLY PARTS OF THE BOOK, CHARL IS PROBABLY THE MOST SENSIVE OF THEM ALL. LATER, WH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTN OF RICHARD, CHARL SEEMS TO FEEL THE WORST ABOUT BUNNY'S MURR, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS HE HAS THE MOST PRONOUNCED FREAK OUT.CHARL: [TRYG AND FAILG TO BRG HIMSELF TO PULL THE GLASS OUT OF CALA'S FOOT] I N'T DO . I'M AAID I'LL HURT YOU. [LATER] CHARL: [CLOSE TO TEARS] BUT HOW, HOW ULD YOU POSSIBLY JTIFY LD-BLOOD MURR? CRAZY JEALO GUY / MY SISTER IS OFF-LIMS: CHARL IS VERY POSSSIVE OF HIS TW SISTER, THANKS TO THEIR CTUO RELATNSHIP. DCENT TO ADDICTN / DROWNG MY SORROWS: CHARL—ARGUABLY H HARST BY THE MURR—DROWNS HIS SORROWS LIQUOR TO THE POT OF ALHOL POISONG. ALTHOUGH EVEN BEFORE THAT, HE DRANK RATHER MORE THAN THE RT OF THEM—AND THEY ALL DRANK A LOT. DOMTIC ABE: TO HIS SISTER CALA. THE HORRIFIC ABE IS IMPLIED TO STEM OUT OF HIS EXTREME JEALOY OVER HER RELATNSHIP WH HENRY. WHICH IS HYPOCRIL, BEE HE'S HOOKG UP WH FRANCIS PERDILLY. I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I'VE HAD ENOUGH!: REALLY DON'T APPRECIATE HIS IENDS POTG OUT HIS ALHOLIC TENNCI. SEX FOR SOLACE: IMPLIED TO BE A FACTOR CHARL' REPEATED SCTN OF FRANCIS. SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN: DOWNPLAYED TROPE. HE'S OM VIRGIA, HAS A SLIGHT SOUTHERN ACCENT, AND IS THE MOST SOCIALLY GRACEFUL OF THE GROUP — NEHER STANDOFFISH LIKE HENRY AND FRANCIS NOT OVERBEARG LIKE BUNNY. HIS HAB OF DRSG WHE ALSO HAS SOME ASSOCIATNS TO THIS TROPE. YOU HAVE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNS: CHARL IS MA THE GROUP'S UNOFFICIAL CCO THE FUROR AFTER BUNNY'S ATH. AFTER HE SNAPS UNR THE PRSURE (AMONG OTHER THGS), HENRY BEGS LOOKG FOR A WAY TO DISPOSE OF HIM. CALA MAULAY CALA MAULAYTHE ONLY FEMALE MEMBER OF THE CLIQUE, AND CHARL' TW SISTER. BIRDS OF A FEATHER: CALA AND HENRY ARE THE MORE STOIC, OLHEAD MEMBERS OF THE CLASS, AND ARE LATER REVEALED TO BE VERY CLOSE IENDS (IF NOT MORE). DISSONANT SERENY: SHE IS SURPRISGLY LM SOMETIM, SUCH AS WHEN SHE RECEIV AN IMPROMPTU PASSNATE KISS OM A VERY DNK CHARL ONT OF RICHARD, OR WHEN SHE TELLS RICHARD THAT CHARL TRIED TO KILL HER. SHE IS AS "LM AS A MADONNA" WHEN SHE WNS BUNNY'S MURR. DU MAG: SHE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTN OF THREE MEN THE CLASSICS GROUP — THOUGH 'S AT LEAST PART JT BY VIRTUE OF BEG THE ONLY GIRL PRENT AN SULAR GROUP THAT RISTS SOCIALIZG WH OUTSIRS. OVER THE URSE OF THE NOVEL, CALA IS AN OBJECT OF LT FOR RICHARD HIMSELF, HENRY, AND EVEN HER OWN BROTHER CHARL. AT ONE POT THE NOVEL 'S IMPLIED THAT SHE MAY HAVE REJECTED BUNNY'S ADVANC. IF WE DO UNT BUNNY, THIS MEANS THAT HER ENTIRE IEND GROUP HAS A CSH ON HER, EXCEPT FOR THE GAY BOY. INFORMED FLAW: FRANCIS ALLEG THAT CHARL AND CALA ARE BOTH POSSSIVE OVER EACH OTHER. THE ONLY EVINCE WE SEE OF THIS, THOUGH, IS SGLE VAGUE EXAMPLE. AT AT THE END OF BUNNY'S FUNERAL, THE TWS HAVE A FIGHT WHICH IS IMPLIED TO BE ABOUT CHARL HOOKG UP WH FRANCIS A UPLE HOURS EARLIER. SHE SHOWS NO ANIMOSY AT FRANCIS. THE LOST LENORE: HENRY IS THIS FOR HER. YEARS AFTER HIS ATH, SHE NTU TO LOVE HIM AND NNOT GET OVER HIM. MEANGFUL NAME:DONNA TARTT: I N'T REMEMBER HOW CHARL GOT HIS NAME, BUT CALA GOT HERS OM CALA THE WARRR MAIN THE AENEID — VIRGIL LLS HER "A SACRED FALN" AND THERE IS A BETIFUL PASSAGE WHERE THE MOTHERS OF ITALY GATHER TO WATCH CALA HEADG OFF TO BATTLE. I WAS READG THE AENEID FOR A CLASS RIGHT AROUND THE TIME I STARTED WRG THE SECRET HISTORY. CALA IS AS STRONG AND HEROIC AS ANY SOLDIER THE POEM, AND HER NAME STUCK WH ME. O.O.C. IS SER BS: BUNNY'S HARASSMENT AND JAP BOUNCE OFF OF HER WH EASE, BUT WHEN BUNNY IMPLI THAT SHE'S SLEEPG WH HER BROTHER, SHE GIV HIM AN UNCHARACTERISTILLY ICY RETORT. IT CLU THE REAR THAT BUNNY HAS TOUCHED A NERVE, AND 'S LATER NFIRMED TO BE TE. WHEN A DNKEN CHARL GIV HER A CIDLY SENSUAL KISS ONT OF RICHARD, CALA SEEMGLY DON'T REACT, BUT RICHARD NOTIC THAT SHE PUT SUGAR HER FFEE AFTERWARDS. CALA ALWAYS DRANK HER FFEE BLACK, SO HER GOG FOR THE SUGAR UNRLED THAT SHE WAS SHAKEN AFTER ALL. PRETTY MK: CALA SEEMS TO OWN A FEW FUR ATS. THE SMURFETTE PRCIPLE: CALA ALS WH BEG THE ONLY WOMAN WH TELLIGENCE AND VERVE, FOR THE MOST PART, BUT BEG THE OBJECT OF THREE MEN'S LT AND LOVE TAK S TOLL AFTER A WHILE. RICHARD EMPHASIZ THAT SPE HANGG OUT WH ALL GUYS, SHE IS NOHELS FEME.BEG THE ONLY FEMALE WHAT WAS BASILLY A BOYS' CLUB MT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR HER. [ ] THGS WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIBLY STRANGE AND UNBALANCED WHOUT HER. SHE WAS THE QUEEN WHO FISHED OUT THE SU OF DARK JACKS, DARK KG, AND JOKER. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: SHE IS THIS FOR RICHARD. ALMOST A AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE STORY, HE IS STILL PG AFTER HER. UNKEMPT BETY: RICHARD EMPHASIZ THAT SPE HANGG OUT WH ALL GUYS, CALA IS NOHELS FEME. NOT FEME A STYLIZED KD OF WAY — SHE HAS A "BOYISH HAIRCUT" AND SOMETIM WEARS HER BROTHER'S CLOTH — BUT AN NATE FEMY OF MEANOR. BUNNY LLS HER A "BRAMBLE ROSE, AS OPPOSED TO YOUR HYBRID TEA." PROFSORS JULIAN MORROW THE ECCENTRIC, BUT PTIVATG CLASSICS PROFSOR OF THE CLIQUE, JULIAN IS VERY SELECTIVE ABOUT HIS STUNTS AND HIS WAY OF TEACHG THEM. BROKEN PESTAL: AFTER HE FDS OUT ABOUT BUNNY'S MURR, HE FLE THE SCHOOL (AND PROBABLY THE UNTRY), NEVER TO BE HEARD OM AGA. COOL TEACHER: WH HIS LONG LIST OF FAMO ACQUATANC, PTIVATG PERSONALY AND TEACHG PHILOSOPHY, JULIAN IS FASCATG TO HIS STUNTS. EXPY: JULIAN LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE AN EXPY OM ALMOST EVERY SGLE MOVIE MA ABOUT AN SPIRATNAL TEACHER. FROM THE START, HOWEVER, WE N SEE THAT THIS IS GOG TO BE QUE HEAVILY NSTCTED. FAIR-WEATHER MENTOR: WHEN HE'S FORCED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HIS STUNTS HAVE DONE, HE LEAV THE UNTRY WHOUT A WORD. GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR: IF PEOPLE APART OM HIS STUNTS ADMIRE JULIAN, THIS IS PROBABLY WHY. OVERT OPERATIVE: SOME OF THE MORS ABOUT JULIAN SUGGT THAT HE DO DIPLOMATIC AND/OR TELLIGENCE WORK, POSSIBLY VOLVG THE ISRAMI GOVERNMENT EXILE AS THE HANDLER. PARENTAL SUBSTUTE: IMPLIED TO BE AN INVOKED TROPE. NOT A ONE OF JULIAN'S GROUP OF HANDPICKED STUNTS HAS MUCH PARENTAL GUIDANCE THEIR LIFE. JULIAN THEN ISOLAT THEM HIS OWN LTLE AMY, WH NO OTHER FACULTY VOLVED, WHERE THEY'RE ALSO TO SOME EXTENT SOCIALLY ISOLATED OM OTHER STUNTS. THIS ALLOWS HIM TO STEP AS A PARENTAL SUBSTUTE VERY EASILY. POLILLY MOTIVATED TEACHER: LAFUE SUGGTS THAT JULIAN IS THIS FOR PHG ELISM AND SEGREGATG THE MORE POSH STUNTS OM THEIR MORE MON PEERS. HE MAY BE HYPOCRIL ON THIS, BUT HE'S CERTALY NOT WRONG.JULIAN: EVEN PLATO KNEW THAT CLASS AND NDNG AND SO FORTH HAVE AN ALTERABLE EFFECT ON THE DIVIDUAL. RENOWNED SELECTIVE MENTOR: HE ONLY TEACH A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND IS NOTORLY DIFFICULT TO BEE HIS STUNT.LAFUE: HE ACCEPTS ONLY A LIMED NUMBER OF STUNTS. A VERY LIMED NUMBER. [...] I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY NTUE TO LIST HIS URS THE GENERAL TALOGUE—'S MISLEADG, EVERY YEAR THERE IS NFN ABOUT —BEE, PRACTILLY SPEAKG, THE CLASS ARE CLOSED. I AM TOLD THAT TO STUDY WH HIM ONE MT HAVE READ THE RIGHT THGS, HOLD SIAR VIEWS. IT HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY THAT HE HAS TURNED AWAY STUNTS SUCH AS YOURSELF WHO HAVE DONE PRR WORK CLASSICS. SELECTIVE OBLIVNS: JULIAN WANTS TO BELIEVE THE BT OF EVERYONE, UNTIL NONTED WH EVINCE TO THE NTRARY....A PARTICULARLY SHREWD REMARK ONCE MA BY, OF ALL PEOPLE, BUNNY. "Y'KNOW," HE SAID, "JULIAN IS LIKE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT'LL PICK ALL HIS FAVORE CHOLAT OUT OF THE BOX AND LEAVE THE RT." THIS SEEMS RATHER ENIGMATIC ON THE FACE OF , BUT ACTUALLY I NNOT THK OF A BETTER METAPHOR FOR JULIAN'S PERSONALY. IT IS SIAR TO ANOTHER REMARK MA TO ME ONCE BY GE LAFUE, ON AN OCSN WHEN I HAD BEEN EXTOLLG JULIAN TO THE SKI. "JULIAN," HE SAID CURTLY, "WILL NEVER BE A SCHOLAR OF THE VERY FIRST RATE, AND THAT IS BEE HE IS ONLY PABLE OF SEEG THGS ON A SELECTIVE BASIS." SHROUD MYTH: MANY STRANGE STORI ABOUND ABOUT JULIAN MORROW'S PAST, THE VAST MAJORY OF WHICH REALLY DON'T CHECK OUT. HENRY HAS OLD PICTUR OF HIM WH VIVIEN LEIGH, THE SWELLS, T. S. ELT, AND MARILYN MONROE.NEARLY EVERYONE HAD HEARD OF HIM, AND I WAS GIVEN ALL SORTS OF NTRADICTORY BUT FASCATG RMATN: THAT HE WAS A BRILLIANT MAN; THAT HE WAS A D; THAT HE HAD NO LLEGE GREE; THAT HE HAD BEEN A GREAT TELLECTUAL THE FORTI, AND A IEND TO EZRA POUND AND T. S. ELT; THAT HIS FAY MONEY HAD E OM A PARTNERSHIP A WHE-SHOE BANKG FIRM OR, NVERSELY, OM THE PURCHASE OF FORECLOSED PROPERTY DURG THE DEPRSN; THAT HE HAD DODGED THE DRAFT SOME WAR (THOUGH CHRONOLOGILLY THIS WAS DIFFICULT TO PUTE); THAT HE HAD TI WH THE VATIN; A POSED ROYAL FAY THE MIDDLE EAST; FRAN'S SPA. THE GREE OF TTH ANY OF THIS WAS, OF URSE, UNKNOWABLE BUT THE MORE I HEARD ABOUT HIM, THE MORE TERTED I BEME... TEACHER/STUNT ROMANCE: NEVER NFORMED, BUT TWO IMPLIED S: WORKS AS A SUPER TUTOR TO THE YOUNG PRCS OF THE ISRAMI ROYAL FAY. ONE OF THE MANY MORS ABOUT HIM IMPLI THAT HE IS RRYG ON AN AFFAIR WH HER. HIS RELATNSHIP WH HENRY IS ALSO QUTNABLE. HENRY CLEARLY HAS AN OBSSN WH HIM, AND—ACRDG TO RICHARD'S GAYDAR—JULIAN IS POSSIBLY GAY. ONCE, EARLY ON, RICHARD OVERSE THEM TERACTG WHILE THEY THK THEY'RE ALONE, AND HENRY GIV JULIAN "A QUICK LTLE BSLIKE KISS ON THE CHEEK." HENRY IS THE ONLY ONE OF JULIAN'S STUNTS WHO HAS EVER BEEN TO HIS HOE. THEY WOULD BOTH FELY BE TO THE IA OF LOVER AND BELOVED FOR GREEK REASONS. FOR WHAT 'S WORTH, CL FRERICKS—THE REAL-LIFE ENIGMATIC CLASSICS PROFSOR AT BENNGTON DURG DONNA TARTT'S TIME—WAS OPENLY GAY AND DID HAVE AN AFFAIR WH A STUNT. THKS LIKE A ROMANCE NOVEL: PERHAPS THE MOST STRIKG STANCE OF THIS IS WHEN HE IS AIDG THE SEARCH FOR BUNNY, AND STOPS FOR A MOMENT TO BASK THE DRAMATISM OF THE SUATN. HE IS PLEASED THAT HE IS PART OF SOMETHG SO DRAMATIC, AS IF HE GETS TO LLECT ANOTHER SCENE FOR THE NOVEL THAT HE THKS LIFE IS. GE LAFUE BOOMERANG BIGOT: IMPLIED TROPE. HE BELIEV JULIAN MIGHT BE GAY AND HAVG AN AFFAIR WH HIS MALE STUNTS, BUT HIS NSCLY SCRIBED SIARI TO THE GAY TELLECTUAL MICHEL FOUULT SUGGT HE MAY BE SPEAKG OM A VERY PARTICULAR SORT OF PLACE. NO CELEBRI WERE HARMED: HE LOOKS A LOT LIKE MICHEL FOUULT AND HAS A SIAR DISTST OF TRADNALLY-MD AMICS. OBSTCTIVE BURECRAT: GE LAFUE IS HANT TO LET RICHARD JO JULIAN'S CLASS, PRUMABLY BEE HE SPECTS JULIAN OF APPROPRIATE NDUCT WH STUNTS, BUT LARGELY BEE HE DISLIK JULIAN'S OBSSN WH TRADN AND APPARENT ELISM. POLILLY MOTIVATED TEACHER: GENUELY BELIEV HIS MORE MORN, CLIVE APPROACH TO PEDAGOGY IS BETTER FOR STUNTS, AND DISTSTS JULIAN (AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTMENT) FOR PHG WHAT HE SE AS A MORE TRADNAL OR EVEN REACTNARY AGENDA. DR ROLAND THE CUCKOOLANR WAS RIGHT: DURG THE WTER, DR ROLAND TWICE MENTNS A IEND OF RICHARD'S HE'S SEEN AROUND. RICHARD DISMISS THIS, SAYG HIS IENDS ARE ALL OUT OF TOWN AND ASSUMG THAT DR ROLAND JT HAS NO IA WHO HIS IENDS ARE. DR ROLAND IS REFERRG TO LEGIMATE SIGHTGS OF HENRY, WHO'S RETURNED EARLY WHOUT RICHARD KNOWG. OBFTG STUPIDY:DR ROLAND'S SENILE MANNER WAS SAID TO BE A FA; TO ME SEEMED QUE GENUE BUT SOMETIM, WHEN YOU WERE OFF YOUR GUARD, HE WOULD DISPLAY AN UNEXPECTED FLASH OF LUCIDY, WHICH—THOUGH EQUENTLY DID NOT RELATE TO THE TOPIC AT HAND—WAS EVINCE THAT RATNAL PROCS MBLED SOMEWHERE THE MUDDIED PTHS OF HIS NSCNS. OLD WDBAG: RICHARD HAS A JOB WORKG FOR DR ROLAND, "AN OLD, DAZED, DISORRED-LOOKG FELLOW" WHO IS HAPPY TO TALK ALL ABOUT RS WHEN RICHARD BRGS THEM UP.IT WAS SOMETIM DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT DR ROLAND WAS A TENURED PROFSOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF THIS, A DISTGUISHED LLEGE. HE WAS MORE LIKE SOME GABBY OLD DGER WHO WOULD S NEXT TO YOU ON A B AND TRY TO SHOW YOU BS OF PAPER HE KEPT FOLD HIS WALLET. OTHER STUNTS
WASHGTON, D.C.'S HIDN GAY HISTORY IS UNVERED 'SECRET CY'
Ambiguoly Gay: There is a not-basels stereotype that Classics stunts are disproportnately gay. Richard thks about at least the possibily of homoerotic behavr om every sgle one of the clique boys at some pot — although that might say more about Richard's own Ambiguoly Bi proclivi than those of his iends.
Wars and homos.
THE CLIQUE THE CLIQUE GENERAL AWOME, BUT IMPRACTIL: A SOMEWHAT CYNILLY IC POT IS MA A FEW TIM ABOUT HOW THE CLASSICS CLIQUE SPEND THOANDS ON SHY BRAND-NAME FOUNTA PENS AND SLEEK SIGNER CLOTH. WHILE THE EVINT GLAMOUR OF THE EMS IS ATTRACTIVE TO BOTH RICHARD AND THE REAR, THE CHARACTERS' ATTUS TOWARD THE EXPENSIVE EMS (ALONG WH THEIR ALTERNATE SRN OR BEWILRMENT AT CHEAPER SUBSTUT) IS ALSO SUBTLY MOCKED THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. THE BETIFUL ELE: RICHARD THKS THEY'RE ALL SO ATTRACTIVE, SO ENIGMATIC, SO SMART. THEY'RE ALSO RICH. HENRY AND FRANCIS ARE SO RICH THEY'LL NEVER HAVE A TO WORK. CHARL AND CALA ARE LS SO, BUT NOHELS WEALTHY ENOUGH THEIR FAY N SEND THEM TO HAMPN WHOUT ANY AID. BUNNY AND RICHARD PRETEND TO BE WEALTHY TO F WH THEM, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT. DIFFERENT AS THEY WERE THEY SHARED A CERTA OLNS, A CEL, MANNERED CHARM WHICH WAS NOT MORN THE LEAST BUT HAD A STRANGE LD BREATH OF THE ANCIENT WORLD: THEY WERE MAGNIFICENT CREATUR, SUCH EY, SUCH HANDS, SUCH LOOKS—SIC OCULOS, SIC ILLE MAN, SIC ORA FEREBAT. I ENVIED THEM, AND FOUND THEM ATTRACTIVE; MOREOVER THIS STRANGE QUALY, FAR OM BEG NATURAL, GAVE EVERY DITN OF HAVG BEEN TENSELY CULTIVATED. BLON, BTE, REDHEAD: CHARL, HENRY, AND FRANCIS RPECTIVELY. CULTURALLY RELIG: HENRY, FRANCIS, AND THE TWS WERE ALL RAISED CATHOLIC, WHILE BUNNY OM A WHE ANGLO-SAXON PROTTANT BACKGROUND, AND RICHARD HAS NO RELIG BACKGROUND AT ALL. NONE OF THE CLIQUE ARE RELIG THE DAYS — THEY'RE IRREVERENT LLEGE STUNTS FOR ONE, AND ALSO BEG TUTORED BY A MAN WHO'S TRYG TO IMPRS PAGAN SENSIBILI UPON THEM. NOHELS, THE CATHOLICS HAVE ENOUGH ALLEGIANCE TO THEIR CHILDHOOD RELIGN THAT BUNNY'S ANTI-CATHOLIC TIRAS GET UNR THEIR SK. WHERE REALLY SHOWS, THOUGH, IS THE ATHETICS. THEY ALL HAVE THE ATHETICS OF THEIR RELIG UPBRGGS STAMPED TO THEM. THE DARK AMIA ATHETIC IS VERY CATHOLIC — OLD, NT, DRAMATIC — AND THE CATHOLIC KIDS ARE THE REAL RE OF THE CLIQUE, THE TLY ATHETIC ON. BUNNY IS ATHETILLY VERY PROTTANT, AND THAT CLASH WH THE GROUP. DZY GENI: THE CLASSICS CLIQUE ARE IALLY TRODUCED AS A GENI BOOK CLUB. ONCE RICHARD ACTUALLY STARTS HANGG OUT WH THEM, WE START TO LEARN THEY'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY IMPRACTIL PEOPLE OUTSI OF THEIR STUDI (HENRY'S BIZARRE AND NVOLUTED PLANS TO VER UP THE MURR). THEY ARE SHOWN TO BE BIZARRELY TECHNOLOGILLY ILLERATE, EERILY UNAWARE OF ANY HISTORY THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE SCE ABOUT 1940 (HENRY HAS NEVER HEARD OF THE MOON LANDG!), AND TO HAVE TROUBLE PREHENDG NTEMPORARY ATTUS TOWARDS A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS (CALA ENDS UP COMILLY MISSG THE POT OF AN ANTI-WAR FILM). FAY OF CHOICE: CHARL AT ONE POT SUGGTS THAT AFTER GRADUATN THEY ULD ALL LIVE TOGETHER THE UNTRY HOE (EXCEPT FOR BUNNY, WHO WOULD JT E UP ON WEEKENDS). IT'S AN ARRTED VELOPMENT FANTASY, IMAGG THAT THGS ULD NTUE EXACTLY AS THEY ARE NOW FOR THE RT OF THEIR LIV. RICHARD IS ABSOLUTELY ENAMORED WH THE IA. SUBVERTED AND DENSTCTED THAT DON'T WORK OUT. NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ADORE YOUR IEND GROUP RIGHT NOW, WHOUT THE OBLIGATNS OF KSHIP TO HOLD YOU TOGETHER WHEN TIM GET TOUGH, WON'T LAST. THEIR GROUP FALLS APART UNR THE WEIGHT OF THE BLACKMAIL, MURR, VAR PLOTS, GENERAL BACKSTABBG AND A LOVE DOHEDRON. RICHARD PAPEN JOHN RICHARD PAPENTHE NOVEL'S NARRATOR AND A SCHOLARSHIP STUNT AT HAMPN LLEGE. ABIVE PARENTS: RICHARD'S FATHER IS MENTNED AS BEG VERBALLY AND PHYSILLY ABIVE TO BOTH HIM AND HIS MOTHER. AMBIGUOLY BI: HE HAS SPICLY SPECIFIC DENIAL, NSTANTLY REMDG THE REAR HAVE I MENTNED I AM HETEROSEXUAL TODAY? NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHG WRONG WH THAT! THE GREEKS WERE GAY, AND FRANCIS IS GAY, AND THIS IS FE. BUT RICHARD IS STRAIGHT, AS HE REMDS THE REAR MORE OFTEN THAN NECSARY. RICHARD CLAIMS HE HAS GOOD GAYDAR BEE HE'S SO NOT GAY. YEAH, SURE RICHARD, THAT'S A THG... SORT OF TENSN, WHICH I, BEG RATHER MORE DISCLED THAT WAY THAN NOT, AM QUICK TO PICK UP ON. RICHARD IS AWE OF THE WHOLE CLIQUE, BUT CALA AND HENRY PARTICULAR HE SCRIB THE ROMANTICIZED MANNER OF A CSH. IN TERVIEWS, DONNA TARTT HAS SAID MORE THAN ONCE THAT IF RICHARD WERE GENR FLIP, THIS NEW RENDN OF THE MA CHARACTER WOULD SEEM TOO LOVE WH HENRY. (SEE YMMV'S HO YAY LISTG FOR TAILS.) RICHARD MAK OUT WH FRANCIS ONCE, AND WAS ON TRACK TO GO FURTHER IF THEY HADN'T BEEN TERPTED. CONTEMPLATE OUR NAVELS: AS AN OBSERVANT OUTSIR, RICHARD NSTANTLY ANALYZ HIS BEHAVR AND MOTIV REGARDG WHAT HE DID BEFORE HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE OTHER CHARACTERS WERE UP TO. CHICK MAG: RICHARD ATTRACTS ATTENTN OM JUDY POOVY, MONA BEALE, SOPHIE DEARBOLD, AND A FEW UNNAMED FEMALE CHARACTERS ARE IMPLIED OR DIRECTLY SHOWN TO BE ATTRACTED TO HIM. FRANCIS ALSO ATTEMPTS TO SLEEP WH HIM ON TWO SEPARATE OCSNS. THE FACT THAT RICHARD GOT TO JULIAN'S HANDPICKED-ALL-BETIFUL CLASS SUGGTS HE MIGHT BE A PRETTY BOY. FATAL FLAW: THE OPENG L OF THE BOOK:DO SUCH A THG AS "THE FATAL FLAW," THAT SHOWY DARK CRACK NNG DOWN THE MIDDLE OF A LIFE, EXIST OUTSI LERATURE? I ED TO THK DIDN'T. NOW I THK DO. AND I THK THAT ME IS THIS: A MORBID LONGG FOR THE PICTURQUE AT ALL STS. FIRST-PERSON PERIPHERAL NARRATOR: THE STORY IS UNQUTNABLY ABOUT THE OTHER STUNTS PROFSOR JULIAN MORROW'S CLIQUE, ALL OF WHOM ARE FAR MORE SISTER AND HAVE WAY MORE SECRETS, BUT RICHARD IS OUR NARRATOR.DONNA TARTT TERVIEW: IT WAS OBV TO ME OM THE OUTSET THAT THIS BOOK HAD TO BE TOLD OM THE POT OF VIEW OF A FIRST-PERSON NARRATOR. IT WAS SENTIAL THAT ONE NEVER KNOW WHAT THE OTHER CHARACTERS ARE THKG. THERE ULDN'T BE AN OMNISCIENT VIEWPOT — YOU ULD NEVER GO TO HENRY'S MD OR TO JULIAN — BEE THIS IS A NOVEL OF HOW THE NARRATOR IS SORT OF GRADUALLY DRAWN TO THIS AND GRADUALLY FOOLED, AND THE REAR SHOULD BE FOOLED ALONG WH HIM. HATED HOMETOWN: HIS FEELGS TOWARD PLANO, CALIFORNIA. HYPOCRE: HE LOOKS DOWN ON JUDY FOR BEG A KEHEAD, EVEN THOUGH HE MENTNS DOG QUE A B OF E HIMSELF. I JT WANT TO BE SPECIAL: WANTS NOTHG MORE THAN TO BE ONE OF THE EL AND PE THE AGGRSIVE NORMALCY OF HIS CHILDHOOD. HENRY TAK ADVANTAGE OF THIS WHEN TELLG RICHARD ABOUT THE MURR OF THE FARMER, KNOWG THAT RICHARD WILL BE SO PLEASED ABOUT BEG LET ON THE SECRET THAT HE WON'T TELL ANYONE ELSE. LOVG A SHADOW: RICHARD'S CSH ON CALA IS WEIRD. HE IMAG HER FAR MORE NOCENT THAN SHE IS; FACT SHE'S HENRY'S CLOST NFIDANT THE GROUP. IN THE VERY FIRST GREEK CLASS, RICHARD SAYS HE DON'T STAND A CHANCE WH HER WHEN SHE'S NSTANTLY SURROUND BY THE "CLEVER RICH BOYS DARK SUS". IF HE WERE TO ATTRACT HER ATTENTNS, THAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE SYMBOL THAT HE'S JT AS GOOD AS THEM. MIDDLE NAME BASIS: HE FILLS OUT HIS SCHOOL APPLITN, "NAME: JOHN RICHARD PAPEN." THIS NAME IS NEVER MENTNED AGA. THE REWATCH BON IMPLITN IS THAT JOHN IS PROBABLY HIS FATHER'S NAME, WHICH HE DON'T WANT TO E. NEW TRANSFER STUNT: HE DO TWO YEARS OF MUNY LLEGE—ONE OF PRE-MED, ONE OF ENGLISH— PLANO BEFORE TRANSFERRG TO HAMPN. THE RT OF THE CLIQUE HAS BEEN TOGETHER SCE HMAN YEAR. THE NONSCRIPT: RICHARD LOVGLY SCRIB THE APPEARANC OF HIS IENDS, BUT NOT HIMSELF. HE MENTNS HE'S "PRONE TO ECKL", AND THAT'S . O.O.C. IS SER BS: WHILE SLOWG EEZG TO ATH OVER THE WTER, HE FALLY GETS TO A POT WHERE HE'S SPERATE ENOUGH THAT HE LLS HIS PARENTS, WHO HE ONLY EVER TALKS ABOUT WH APATHY AND DISLIKE. PASS FAIL: RICHARD IS OM A VERY MOST BACKGROUND AND. SEVERAL OF THE OTHERS THE GREEK CLASS E OM ENOUGH FAY MONEY THAT THEY WILL NEVER HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVG. RICHARD TRI SPERATELY TO F WH HIS WEALTHIER PEERS. INIALLY HE GETS BY ON LI AND THRIFT-STORE CLOTH, BUT HIS NEW IENDS START PICKG UP THE TTH AFTER A WHILE. IT'S NEVER OPENLY DISCSED THE GROUP, THOUGH, BEG AN OPEN SECRET. PERPETUAL FROWNER: HE HAS RTG BCH FACE.ALL MY LIFE, PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN MY SHYNS FOR SULLENNS, SNOBBERY, BAD TEMPER OF ONE SORT OR ANOTHER. "STOP LOOKG SO SUPERR!" MY FATHER SOMETIM ED TO SHOUT AT ME WHEN I WAS EATG, WATCHG TELEVISN, OR OTHERWISE MDG MY OWN BS. BUT THIS FACIAL ST OF ME (THAT'S WHAT I THK IS, REALLY, A WAY MY MOUTH HAS OF TURNG DOWN AT THE RNERS, HAS LTLE TO DO WH MY ACTUAL MOODS) PSDO-ROMANTIC FRIENDSHIP: RICHARD BASILLY HAS A CSH ON THE CLIQUE AS A WHOLE. HE'S PTIVATED BY, AWE OF THE GROUP — THEY'RE SO BETIFUL, SO SMART, SO ENIGMATIC, SO OTHERWORLDLY. WHEN CHARL BRGS UP THE POSSIBILY OF THEM LIVG TOGETHER AS ADULTS, RICHARD THKS 'S THE BT THG HE'S EVER HEARD. HE THKS ABOUT THE SEXUAL POTENTIALY ALL OF HIS IENDS — NOT WH HIM, PER SE, BUT SOMEWHERE. HE GO ON FOR A PAGE AND A HALF ABOUT ULD THERE BE SOMETHG BETWEEN HENRY AND BUNNY; WHEN HE FDS OUT THE TWS HOOK UP SOMETIM HE ADMS THE IA HAD CROSSED HIS MD BEFORE, AND HE'D BEEN TURNED ON BY . SCHOLARSHIP STUNT: RICHARD GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO HI HIS LOWER-MIDDLE CLASS UPBRGG OM HIS RICH IENDS.GE LAFUE: FRANKLY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER HEARD OF [JULIAN] ACCEPTG A PUPIL WHO IS ON SUCH NSIRABLE FANCIAL AID. [...] I AM WILLG TO SPECULATE THAT HE ISN'T AWARE YOU ARE ON ASSISTANCE. RICHARD: WELL, IF HE DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT GOG TO TELL HIM. SIXTH RANGER: THE CLIQUE HAVE ALL BEEN CLASSMAT FOR A WHILE BEFORE HE JOS. EVEN AFTER HE'S RPORATED TO THE GROUP—VED TO THE TWS' WEEKLY DNER PARTI AND WEEKENDS THE UNTRY AT FRANCIS'S NT'S HOE—HE'S STILL THE ODD ONE OUT. RICHARD IS NOT LET ON THE BACCHANAL THG THAT EVERYONE ELSE—EVEN BUNNY IALLY—IS VED TO. AND EVERYONE ELSE KNOWS CHARL AND CALA ARE A THG EXCEPT HIM. TOO DUMB TO LIVE: UNACCTOMED TO VERMONT'S EEZG TEMPERATUR AND UNAWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF SPACE HEATERS, HE NEARLY DI OF HYPOTHERMIA DURG WTER BREAK TRYG TO TOUGH OUT A RENTED ROOM HE DON'T REALIZE IS UNSAFE (SPE THE HOLE THE ROOF). UNRELIABLE NARRATOR: BY HIS OWN ADMISSN. RICHARD'S ADMIRATN AND AFFECTN FOR JULIAN AND THE MURR CLIQUE (THOUGH MOSTLY HENRY AND CALA) RULTS A PICTURE OF EACH OF THEM THAT MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY REPRENTATIVE OF WHO THEY TLY ARE. HE ALSO EQUENTLY LI TO HIS IENDS SO THAT THEY'LL HAVE A BETTER IMPRSN OF HIM, WHICH SUGGTS HE MAY BE DOG THE SAME WH THE DIENCE. HENRY WTER HENRY MARCHBANKS WTERA TALL STOIC WH HARD FEATUR AND A GENI OF LGUISTICS, HENRY IS THE MYSTER CHARACTER AT THE HEART OF THE NOVEL. ABIVE PARENTS: IMPLIED TROPE. HENRY IS MOSTLY TRANGED OM HIS FATHER FOR NO REASON THAT WE EVER LEARN. AS A CHILD, HENRY SUFFERED A SER JURY THAT GAVE HIM PERMANENT FACIAL SRRG, AND BUNNY SAYS HENRY GETS UNFORTABLE TALKG ABOUT . BUNNY UP WH AN EXPLANATN VOLVG A R ACCINT, BUT THAT'S PURELY HIS OWN NJECTURE AND DON'T SEEM TO BE TE — HENRY "DROVE FAST AND OFTEN RECKLSLY," WHICH IS NOT THE BEHAVR YOU'D EXPECT OM A MAN WHO'S BEEN A SER R ACCINT.BUNNY: HENRY HAD A BAD ACCINT WHEN HE WAS A LTLE BOY. GOT H BY A R OR SOMETHG AND NEARLY DIED. [...] RICHARD: H BY A R? BUNNY: I THK THAT'S WHAT WAS. CAN'T THK WHAT ELSE ULD'VE BEEN. HE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT . AFFABLY EVIL / ANTI-VILLA / SOCPATHIC HERO: HE DO SEVERAL THGS THE STORY THAT ARE FELY VERY BAD, BUT HE HAS GENUELY POSIVE QUALI AS WELL — EVEN SAVG RICHARD'S LIFE AT ONE POT. AMBIGUOLY BI: ACRDG TO RICHARD'S GAYDAR, HENRY IS THE STRAIGHTT OF THE GROUP, AND HE CLEARLY LOV CALA. YET IF ANY OF THEM HAD AN AFFAIR WH JULIAN (AS LAFUE ALLUS TO) UNDOUBTEDLY WOULD'VE BEEN HENRY. RICHARD SAW HENRY KISS JULIAN ON THE CHEEK WHEN THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE ALONE. HENRY'S THE ONLY ONE WHO'S BEEN TO JULIAN'S HOE. THEY'RE BOTH THE SORT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE TO LOVER AND BELOVED JT BEE 'S AN ANCIENT GREEK THG.HENRY: I LOVED HIM [JULIAN] MORE THAN ANYONE THE WORLD. BORN THE WRONG CENTURY: THIS APPLI TO THE WHOLE CLIQUE, BUT IS PECIALLY PRONOUNCED WH HENRY; WHEN REARCHG POISONS, HIS FIRST STRATEGY IS TO SEEK OUT ANCIENT PERSIAN TEXTS ON THE SUBJECT. HE HAD NO IA HUMAN BEGS HAD LAND ON THE MOON UNTIL RICHARD TELLS HIM. THE GROUP ALL NSULT RICHARD WH MEDIL QUTNS BEE HE TOOK ONE YEAR OF PRE-MED, AND RICHARD REPORTS HENRY OCSNALLY ASKG "A PERFECTLY SER QUTN ABOUT HUMORS".I HAD BEEN TOLD BY THE TWS THAT HENRY DISLIKED ELECTRIC LIGHTS, AND HERE AND THERE I SAW KEROSENE LAMPS THE WDOWSILLS. BYRONIC HERO: HIS LARGE-SLE CHARACTER FLAWS ARE EXACTLY WHAT MAKE HIM SO TERTG. CATCHPHRASE: DOWNPLAYED TROPE, ED ONLY OCSNALLY BUT DISTCTIVE: "TO MY WAY OF THKG." THE CHSMASTER: OVER THE URSE OF THE NOVEL, RICHARD REALIZ THAT HENRY LEAV LTLE TO ACCINT AND THAT HIS PLOTS ARE ALWAYS MORE PLEX THAN THEY IALLY APPEAR. CHRONIC BACKSTABBG DISORR: BY THE END OF THE BOOK, HENRY HAS ACCINTALLY KILLED A FARMER, MURRED BUNNY, TRIED TO KILL CHARL, AND WAS APPARENTLY PLANNG SOMETHG FOR RICHARD BEE YOU HAVE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNS. CUNNG LGUIST:RICHARD: HOW MANY LANGUAG DO HE KNOW? BUNNY: I LOST UNT. SEVEN OR EIGHT. HE N READ HIEROGLYPHICS. RICHARD: WOW. BUNNY: HE'S A GENI, THAT BOY. HE ULD BE A TRANSLATOR FOR THE UN IF HE WANTED TO BE. DZY GENI: HE N BE CREDIBLY IMPRACTIL (NOT THAT HE'LL SEE THAT WAY), WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS THE GAMB PILP ULTIMATELY TOPPL. DRIVEN TO SUICI: HENRY'S ULTIMATE FATE AT THE END OF THE NOVEL. FOUR EY, ZERO SOUL / STOIC SPECTACL: HENRY WEARS GLASS, AND GENERALLY OFF PRETTY LD AND EMOTNLS AND DO SOME REPREHENSIBLE THGS THROUGH THE STORY. GENI BISER: HENRY DO NOT HAVE THE PHYSIQUE TYPILLY ASSOCIATED WH SCHOLARS. HE'S STRONG — REALLY STRONG. STRONG ENOUGH TO SUGGT HE MT WORK OUT, AT LEAST A LTLE, SPE THAT NOT SEEMG LIKE A VERY HENRY-LIKE ACTIVY. THIS MAY BE RELATED TO HIS DISABILI (SUBTILTY IMPLIED TO BE THE RULT OF A CHILDHOOD BEATG OM AN ABIVE FATHER) AND NOT WANTG TO BE PHYSILLY VULNERABLE. GENI CRIPPLE / HANDIPPED BADASS: HENRY WALKS WH A SLIGHT LIMP, HIS EY AREN'T VERY GOOD, AND HE IS PRONE TO MIGRA.BUNNY: HENRY HAD A BAD ACCINT WHEN HE WAS A LTLE BOY. GOT H BY A R OR SOMETHG AND NEARLY DIED. HE WAS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A UPLE YEARS, HAD TUTORS AND STUFF, BUT FOR A LONG TIME HE ULDN'T DO MUCH BUT LIE BED AND READ. I GUS HE WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO N READ AT LLEGE LEVEL WHEN THEY'RE ABOUT TWO YEARS OLD. [...] [LOWERS HIS VOICE] KNOW THE WAY HE PARTS HIS HAIR, SO FALLS OVER THE RIGHT EYE? THAT'S BEE THERE'S A SR THERE. ALMOST LOST THE EYE, N'T SEE OUT OF TOO GOOD. AND THE STIFF WAY HE WALKS, SORT OF A LIMP. NOT THAT MATTERS, HE'S STRONG AS AN OX. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE DID, LIFT WEIGHTS OR WHAT, BUT HE CERTALY BUILT HIMSELF BACK UP AGA. A REGULAR TEDDY ROOSEVELT, OVERG OBSTACL AND ALL. [LATER] JULIAN: HENRY'S NOT AS STRONG AS HE LOOKS. HIS EY BOTHER HIM, HE HAS TERRIBLE HEADACH, SOMETIM HE HAS A DIFFICULT TIME... GRACEFUL THEIR ELEMENT: HENRY IS GENERALLY STOIC, RATHER STILTED AND WHDRAWN, BUT GREEK HE BE MORE FORTABLE AND MONSTRATIVE... MAK ME SE, EVEN TODAY, TO THK OF HENRY'S LCULATED, FORMAL ENGLISH, THE ENGLISH OF A WELL-TED FOREIGNER, AS PARED WH THE MARVELO FLUENCY AND SELF-ASSURANCE OF HIS GREEK — QUICK, ELOQUENT, REMARKABLY WTY. IT WAS ALWAYS A WONR TO ME WHEN I HAPPENED TO HEAR HIM AND JULIAN NVERSG GREEK, ARGUG AND JOKG, AS I NEVER ONCE HEARD EHER OF THEM DO ENGLISH; MANY TIM, I'VE SEEN HENRY PICK UP THE TELEPHONE WH AN IRRABLE, UT "HELLO," AND MAY I NEVER FET THE HARSH AND IRRISTIBLE LIGHT OF HIS "KHAIREI!" WHEN JULIAN HAPPENED TO BE AT THE OTHER END. HATED HOMETOWN: A LTLE-DISCSED TRA HENRY SHAR WH RICHARD. IT ULD BE BEE HENRY OM ST LOUIS, MISSOURI, WHICH THE BOOK AM AS BLAND. THIS ULD ALSO BE ANOTHER TAIL IMPLYG THAT HENRY — LIKE RICHARD — HAS AN ABIVE FATHER.HENRY: [TO RICHARD] YOU'RE NOT VERY HAPPY WHERE YOU E OM, ARE YOU? [BEAT] DON'T WORRY. YOU HI VERY CLEVERLY. [BEAT] THE OTHERS REALLY DON'T UNRSTAND THAT SORT OF THG, YOU KNOW. HIDG THE HANDIP: DOWNPLAYED TROPE, BUT HENRY HAS "LONG SR AT HIS HAIRLE, ALL NTED AND PUCKERED, WH RIDG OF WHE FLH CUTTG ACROSS TO THE BROWBONE". HE PARTS HIS HAIR SO THAT VERS THE SR OM VIEW. INSUFFERABLE GENI: HE DON'T SEE ANYONE AS HIS EQUAL, PECIALLY HIS PEERS, AND THIS SEEPS TO HIS DAILY TERACTNS. INTELLIGENCE EQUALS ISOLATN: HENRY IS THE BT AT GREEK THE GROUP, AND IS OBVLY VERY TELLIGENT AND KNOWS MANY LANGUAG, AND ALSO DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY IENDS OUTSI THE GREEK CLASS NOR ANY TERT MAKG ANY. LACK OF EMPATHY: BY HIS OWN ADMISSN. HE CLAIMS TO NOTICE THE SAME TRA RICHARD.LONELY RICH KID: IN HIS CHILDHOOD: HIS FAY IS VERY RICH AND HE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN IENDLS OR NEARLY SO.-->MAN OF WEALTH AND TASTE / WICKED CULTURED--> NEAT FREAK: RICHARD SCRIB HIM AS "CLEAN AS A T" AND MENTNS HOW HE NEVER TAK HIS AT OFF WHOUT PLACG ON A HANGER. PET THE DOG: HENRY DO SAVE RICHARD OM EEZG TO ATH THE VERMONT WTER, TAKG HIM TO THE HOSPAL AND BRGG HIM TO HIS APARTMENT TO RECUPERATE. HENRY IS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE GREEK CLASS TO TERVENE WHEN CHARL BE ABIVE TOWARDS CALA, GIVG HER A PLACE TO STAY AND HI OM HIM. ACRDG TO CALA, THE ONLY REASON HENRY DIDN'T SUGGT AN ANIMAL-KILLG BLOOD SACRIFICE AFTER KILLG BUNNY, AS HE HAD AFTER THE BACCHANAL CINT, IS THAT HE THOUGHT WOULD UPSET RICHARD. RED ONI, BLUE ONI: HENRY AND BUNNY WERE ROOMMAT HMAN YEAR. ACRDG TO THE TWS, THEY WERE PRETTY GOOD IENDS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE BOOKS.CALA: HENRY'S SO SER AND BUN'S SO SORT OF—WELL, NOT SER—THAT THEY REALLY GET ALONG QUE WELL. CHARL: Y, L'ALLEGRO AND IL PENSEROSO. A WELL-MATCHED PAIR. I THK BUNNY'S ABOUT THE ONLY PERSON THE WORLD WHO N MAKE HENRY LGH. RENAISSANCE MAN: HENRY, THOUGH HE'S MORE OF AN OLD ROMAN THAN A RENAISSANCE MAN. HE "N GROW FLOWERS, REPAIR CLOCKS LIKE A JEWELLER, ADD TREMENDO SUMS HIS HEAD." HE ALSO SPEAKS EIGHT LANGUAG AND N READ HIEROGLYPHICS. SCREW THE RUL, I HAVE MONEY!: JULIAN'S, AND THEREFORE HENRY'S, GENERAL ATTU. THE STOIC: GENERALLY SHOWS LTLE EMOTN. TALL, DARK, AND SNARKY: HE IS TALL, DARK-HAIRED AND OFTEN A B LD AND TO OTHERS. BUNNY CORRAN EDMUND "BUNNY" GRAYN CORRANHAILG OM A BANKG FAY, BUNNY IS LOUD AND EXTROVERTED AND MAK IENDS EASILY. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM THOUGH, HE TENDS TO MOOCH OFF IENDS AND HAS A SPECIAL TALENT FOR FDG THEIR WEAK SPOTS... ASSHOLE VICTIM: HE WASN'T THE MOST PLEASANT PERSON EVEN BEFORE TCHG WD OF HIS IENDS' MASQUERA, BUT AFTER LEARNG ABOUT THE MURR THEY MTED HE BE MANIC, UNPREDICTABLE, DOWNRIGHT CEL, AND IMPOSSIBLE TO AL WH. BIG, SCREWED-UP FAY / FRDIAN EXCE: THE CORRANS. OH GOD, THE CORRANS. CHARL GO ON A B OF A TIRA ABOUT , NOTG THAT BUNNY WAS THE BT OF THEM. THE SHALLOW (HIS FATHER) AND LLO (HIS MOTHER) PARENTS ARE SUPREMELY NCERNED WH APPEARANC.CHARL: I JT NEVER MET SUCH A BUNCH OF GREEDY, SHALLOW PEOPLE. YOU LOOK AT THEM AND THK, OH, WHAT A TASTEFUL, ATTRACTIVE FAY BUT THEY'RE JT A BUNCH OF ZEROS, LIKE SOMETHG OM AN AD. BOISTERO BISER BOOK DUMB: HE'S A TERRIBLE SCHOLAR BUT A GIFTED ARTIST AND AN ASTUTE OBSERVER.HENRY: IF I WERE MR. CORRAN, I WOULD HAVE SET BUNNY UP BS OR HAD HIM LEARN A TRA AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. BUNNY HAS NO BS BEG LLEGE. HE ULDN'T EVEN READ UNTIL HE WAS ABOUT TEN YEARS OLD. RICHARD: HE DRAWS WELL. HENRY: I THK SO, TOO. HE CERTALY HAS NO GIFT FOR SCHOLARSHIP. THEY SHOULD'VE APPRENTICED HIM TO A PATER WHEN HE WAS YOUNG STEAD OF SENDG HIM TO ALL THOSE EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS FOR LEARNG DISABILI. ESTABLISHG CHARACTER MOMENT: WHEN RICHARD OVERHEARS HIM AND THE TWS WORKG ON THEIR GREEK HOMEWORK. BUNNY'S SUGGTNS ARE SLOPPY AND SOMEWHAT RANDOM AND HE'S EAGER TO FISH THE TRANSLATN WHOUT REALLY MAKG SURE THAT 'S RRECT. THE FRIEND NOBODY LIK: THE CLIQUE IS ATHETIC, SCHOLARLY, AND SULAR. BUNNY IS GCHE, NOT STUD, AND EXTROVERTED—WH MARN AND CLOKE, HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS A SOCIAL LIFE THAT EXTENDS BEYOND THE CLIQUE. BEFORE THE PLOT EVEN GETS GOG, BUNNY IS EXCLUD OM THE BACCHANAL FOR NOT BEG MTED ENOUGH. THAT IS HIS ORIGAL S. AFTERWARDS THEY CI THEY DON'T LIKE BUNNY BEE OF HIS GRATG PERSONALY, HIS BIGOTRY, AND HOW HE WON'T STOP THREATENG TO REVEAL THEIR SECRET. GREEN-EYED MONSTER: FOR ALL HIS APPARENT NFINCE, BUNNY IS JEALO OF NOT ONLY RICHARD, AS NFIRMED BY HENRY, BUT IMPLICLY OF ALL HIS IENDS FOR BEG WEALTHIER AND MORE TELLIGENT AND AMILLY GIFTED. HE KNOWS TOO MUCH: AND WON'T SHUT UP ABOUT . HYPER-AWARENS: HE'S VERY CLEVER WHEN TO NOTICG THGS AND PUTTG THEM TOGETHER. IDT BALL: BUNNY PICKS UP WHEN HE REALIZ THE TTH ABOUT THE FARMER'S ATH AND REF TO PUT DOWN. IMPLSIBLE DENIABILY: NOTED BY RICHARD AS A HAB OF HIS, TO THE POT WHERE HE ONCE EXPLAED A HICKEY BY SAYG THAT HE FELL DOWN SOME STAIRS. INFERRY SUPERRY COMPLEX: IMPLIED TROPE. BUNNY IS DYSLEXIC AND MAY HAVE OTHER LEARNG DIFFICULTI BIS. HIS FAY IS VERY NCERNED WH KEEPG UP APPEARANC, SO RATHER THAN STEAD OF FACG THE FACT THAT BUNNY JT ISN'T THAT BRIGHT AMILLY, THEY SENT HIM TO EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS WHERE HE STGGLED TO KEEP UP WH HIS PEERS. BUNNY IS 24, WHILE HIS IENDS ARE 20 AND 21, DUE TO BEG HELD BACK SCHOOL. HE STARTED STUDYG GREEK AT AGE 12, YOUNGER THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS, BUT IS STILL THE WORST AT . ADDNALLY, HIS FAY DID NOT PROVI HIM WH ENOUGH MONEY TO LIVE ON, WHICH DROVE BUNNY TO VELOP VAR MOOCHG STRATEGI. IT SEEMS LIKE HE FEELS FERR TO HIS IENDS, BOTH ENOMILLY AND AMILLY. HE MAK UP FOR WH A LOT OF BLTER, AND BY SNIFFG OUT HIS IENDS' WEAKNS AND NSTANTLY POKG AND PRODDG AT THEM. IT'S ALL ABOUT ME / LACK OF EMPATHY: BUNNY IS SUPREMELY SELFISH. HE PLAYS JOHN PHILIP SOA AT FULL VOLUME HIS DORM ROOM LATE AT NIGHT, STEALS FOOD OM EVERYONE, HIS IENDS FOR MONEY AND ENTERTAMENT, WAK THEM UP THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO RANT OR HI OM HIS GIRLIEND, LI TO THEM, IS PLETELY RELS WH THEIR POSSSNS, AND BE DOWNRIGHT TYRANNIL WHEN HE DISVERS THE BACCHANALIAN MURR. THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, HE NSISTENTLY ACTS AS IF HE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON THE WORLD. LIKE AN OLD MARRIED COUPLE: WH MARN.SHE AND BUNNY HAD A RELATNSHIP THE LIK OF WHICH I HAD SELDOM SEEN EXCEPT UPL MARRIED FOR TWENTY YEARS OR MORE, A RELATNSHIP WHICH VACILLATED BETWEEN THE TOUCHG AND THE ANNOYG. MOCK MILLNAIRE: BUNNY PRETENDS TO BE AS RICH AS HIS IENDS, BUT NEVER ACTUALLY HAS ANY MONEY ON HAND AND IS FOREVER MOOCHG OFF HIS IENDS. THIS IS REPORTEDLY SOMETHG HE LEARNED OM HIS PARENTS, WHO ALSO LIVE BEYOND THEIR MEANS.HENRY: FRANKLY, NO MATTER WHAT BUNNY TELLS YOU TO THE NTRARY, HE HASN'T A CENT AND NEHER DO HIS FATHER. [...] THEY MAY HAVE HAD MONEY ONCE, BUT IF SO THEY SPENT LONG AGO. THAT TERRIBLE HOE OF THEIRS MT HAVE ST A FORTUNE, AND THEY MAKE A BIG SHOW OF YACHT CLUBS AND UNTRY CLUBS AND SENDG THEIR SONS TO EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS, BUT THAT'S GOT THEM BT TO THE EYEBROWS. THEY MAY LOOK WEALTHY, BUT THEY HAVEN'T A DIME. I EXPECT MR. CORRAN IS ABOUT BANKPT. [...] BUNNY'S NEVER HAD A CENT OF POCKET MONEY THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE KNOWN HIM. ODD FRIENDSHIP: HENRY AND BUNNY WERE SCHOOL-ASSIGNED ROOMMAT HMAN YEAR. THEY WERE REPORTEDLY BT IENDS FOR A FEW YEARS. BY THE TIME RICHARD JOS THE GROUP, 'S STARTG TO CMBLE.MR CORRAN: WHY, I'LL NEVER FET, WAS BUNNY'S FIRST NIGHT AT HAMPN, HE LLED ME UP ON THE TELEPHONE. "DAD," HE SAID TO ME, "DAD, YOU OUGHT TO SEE THIS NUT THEY GAVE ME FOR A ROOMMATE." "STICK OUT, SON," I TOLD HIM, "GIVE A CHANCE" AND BEFORE YOU ULD SP WAS HENRY THIS, HENRY THAT, HE'S CHANGG HIS MAJOR OM WHATEVER THE HELL WAS TO ANCIENT GREEK. POLILLY INRRECT HERO: WHILE HE MAY OR MAY NOT BE GENUELY BIGOTED AT HEART, HE DO GO OUT OF HIS WAY TO IRRATE HIS IENDS THROUGH LOUD, , POLILLY RRECT MENTS (AND, BEG EVERY CH THE NEW ENGLANR, HIS OFFENSIVE REMARKS ARE AIMED AT WHE CATHOLICS AND JEWS RATHER THAN WHAT AMERINS OM OTHER REGNS WOULD NSIR MORE OBV TARGETS, SUCH AS BLACK AMERINS OR HISPANICS). BOOMERANG BIGOT: HTED AT. BUNNY GO OUT OF HIS WAY TO SHOW OFF WHAT A WASP HE IS BY PLAG ABOUT CATHOLICS. HOWEVER, HIS LAST NAME IS IRISH AND HIS FAY ARE OFTEN NFED PUBLIC WH THE KENNEDYS, HTG THAT HIS ANCTORS MAY OFTEN NOT MEET THE QUALIFITNS FOR THE "P" WASP. HE-MAN WOMAN HATER / STAY THE KCHEN: AT ONE POT HE ASKS CALA TO IRON HIS SHIRT, AND THEN PLAS THAT SHE'LL NEVER GET A HBAND WH HER APPARENTLY AQUATE IRONG SKILLS. RED ONI, BLUE ONI: HENRY AND BUNNY WERE ROOMMAT HMAN YEAR. ACRDG TO THE TWS, THEY WERE PRETTY GOOD IENDS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE BOOKS.CALA: HENRY'S SO SER AND BUN'S SO SORT OF—WELL, NOT SER—THAT THEY REALLY GET ALONG QUE WELL. CHARL: Y, L'ALLEGRO AND IL PENSEROSO. A WELL-MATCHED PAIR. I THK BUNNY'S ABOUT THE ONLY PERSON THE WORLD WHO N MAKE HENRY LGH. TOO DUMB TO LIVE: BUNNY CORRAN, BOY TECTIVE. WHE ANGLO-SAXON PROTTANT: TO THE EXTENT THAT BUNNY IS ATHETIC AT ALL, HE'S ATHETIC THIS DIRECTN — ALL-AMERIN BOY, AT BOY LE. THIS IS NTRAST WH HIS BROODG, TENSE, ATHETILLY-CATHOLIC IENDS. FRANCIS ABERNATHY FRANCIS ABERNATHY BATH SUICI: ATTEMPTS ONE THE EPILOGUE. THE BEARD: MARRI PRISCILLA TO PLATE HIS HOMOPHOBIC GRANDFATHER AT THE END OF THE BOOK. BIG, SCREWED-UP FAY: JUDGG OM HIS IRON-FISTED GRANDFATHER, ABSURDLY YOUTHFUL MOTHER AND EVEN MORE ABSURDLY YOUTHFUL STEPFATHER, DISAPPEARED DAD, AND ASSORTED CRAZY CAT LADY NTS. BRILLIANT, BUT LAZY / IDLE RICH: FRANCIS IS GIFTED, BUT LACKS THE MOTIVATN TO GET HIMSELF OUT OF TROUBLE (OR STAND UP TO HENRY). AFTER HIS GRANDFATHER DISVERS THAT HE'S GAY, HE PREFERS TO GET MARRIED TO A DZY WOMAN RATHER THAN BE DISHERED AND ACTUALLY HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVG.BUNNY: YOU ASK ME, HE'S AS SMART AS HENRY. SOCIETY BOY, TONS OF MONEY. HE'S HAD TOO EASY, THOUGH. HE'S LAZY. LIK TO PLAY. WON'T DO A THG AFTER SCHOOL BUT DRK LIKE A FISH AND GO TO PARTI. THE CAMEO: IN AN ANOTHER DONNA TARTT NOVEL, THE GOLDFCH.OTHER IENDS, LIKE MR. ABERNATHY—MY DAD'S AGE, WH SOME ILL-ARTICULATED SNDAL OR DISGRACE HIS PAST—WERE SO MERCURIAL AND ARTICULATE, SO UTTERLY DISMISSIVE OF ME CIGARETTE OF ANXIETY: FRANCIS SUFFERS OM PANIC ATTACKS AND IS ALSO A VERY EQUENT SMOKER. THE DANDY: THE WHOLE GROUP WEARS AWOME ANACHRONISTIC APPAREL, BUT FRANCIS STILL STANDS OUT AS THE BT-DRSED ONE. HE GIV HIS HAND-ME-DOWN SUS TO CHARL AND RICHARD.I THOUGHT (ERRONEOLY) THAT HE DRSED LIKE ALED DOUGLAS, OR THE COMTE MONTQUU: BETIFUL STARCHY SHIRTS WH FRENCH CUFFS; MAGNIFICENT NECKTI; A BLACK GREATAT THAT BILLOWED BEHD HIM AS HE WALKED AND MA HIM LOOK LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN A STUNT PRCE AND JACK THE RIPPER. ONCE, TO MY LIGHT, I EVEN SAW HIM WEARG PCE-NEZ. (LATER, I DISVERED THAT THEY WEREN'T REAL PCE-NEZ, BUT ONLY HAD GLASS THEM, AND THAT HIS EY WERE A GOOD AL SHARPER THAN MY OWN.) DEPRAVED HOMOSEXUAL: WHILE HE SEEMS LIKE A NICE PERSON AND IS THE ONLY ONE WHO SEEMS TO GENUELY LIKE RICHARD, HE APPARENTLY OFTEN SLEEPS WH MEN WHO ARE EHER TOO DNK OR TOO HIGH TO SAY NO OR REALIZE WHAT'S HAPPENG. HE EVEN KEEPS TRYG TO SLEEP WH RICHARD EVEN AFTER HE REPEATEDLY TELLS HIM NO, AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH WH IF THEY WEREN'T TERPTED BY CHARL. FIERY REDHEAD: SUBVERTED. HE HAS A "FIERY MOP OF THE REDST HAIR I HAD EVER SEEN", BUT HE'S ACTUALLY LS EXTRA THAN MOST OF HIS IENDS. HYPOCHONDRIA: IT SEEMS TO BE A WAY FOR HIM TO EXPRS HIS ANXIETY AND TO ELIC NCERN AND RE OM OTHERS. RAISED BY GRANDPARENTS: HIS MOTHER HAD HIM AT 17, AND FRANCIS SAYS OF HIS CHILDHOOD, "THE GRANDPARENTS BROUGHT THEM UP LIKE BROTHER AND SISTER, HIM AND HIS MOTHER, BROUGHT THEM UP SUCH A MAGNANIMO STYLE THAT EVEN THE GOSSIPS WERE IMPRSED." THIS RULTS IS LARGELY HANDS-OFF PARENTG OM HIS MOTHER, AND HIS GRANDFATHER HAVG EXCSIVE NTROL OF HIS LIFE. TRANSPARENT CLOSET: FRANCIS ISN'T "OUT" EXACTLY, SOFAR AS BUNNY N SH-TALK GAY MEN RIGHT ONT OF FRANCIS AND THERE'S ENOUGH PLSIBLE DENIABILY THAT BUNNY N PRETEND 'S NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK. BUT EVERYONE KNOWS. LIKE EVERYONE. BEFORE RICHARD EVEN MEETS FRANCIS FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHEN HE'S WATCHG THE CLASSICS GROUP OM AFAR AND ASKG OTHER STUNTS AT HAMPTON THEM, "FURTHER QUIRI [ABOUT FRANCIS] ELICED SPICN OM MALE ACQUATANC, WHO WONRED AT MY TERT SUCH A PERSON." THERE'S NOT MUCH STEREOTYPILLY GAY ABOUT HIS PERSONALY, AND HE'S FAIRLY DISCRETE ABOUT HIS HOOKUPS WH MEN. BUT HE LOOKS GAY, A THE DANDY SORT OF WAY—HE'S SCRIBED AS LOOKG LIKE ALED DOUGLAS (AS OSR WIL'S BOYIEND) OR THE COUNT OF MONTQUU (BOTH 19TH CENTURY DANDI, BOTH GAY POETS). THE TWK: HE'S SLENR AND LITE, PECIALLY NTRAST WH HENRY AND BUNNY WHO ARE BOTH HUGE. AMONG HIS AMBIGUOLY BI IENDS, HE ROUNDGLY, EXCLIVELY HOMOSEXUAL. THE MAULAY TWS GENERAL HAIR OF GOLD, HEART OF GOLD: CHARL AND CALA ARE BLOND AND WHOLOME AND ANGELIC, AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK. HALF-INTIL TWS: CHARL AND CALA IALLY APPEAR TO NFORM TO THIS TROPE. AS THE PLOT UNRAVELS AND THEIR PERSONALY DIFFERENC BEE MORE APPARENT THEY LOSE THEIR UNED ONT (SEE TW DYNCH).SI BY SI, THEY WERE VERY MUCH ALIKE, SIARY LS OF LEAMENT THAN OF MANNER AND BEARG, A RRPONNCE OF GTURE WHICH BOUNCED AND ECHOED BETWEEN THEM SO THAT A BLK SEEMED TO REVERBERATE, MOMENTS LATER, A TWCH OF THE OTHER'S EYELID. LIGHT IS NOT GOOD: CHARL AND CALA WEAR A LOT OF WHE, ADDN TO LOOKG LIKE A PAIR OF ANGELS. RAISED BY GRANDPARENTS: AFTER THEIR PARENTS WERE KILLED A R ACCINT, THE TWS ARE RAISED BY THEIR LOVG GRANDMOTHER. RED ONI, BLUE ONI: CALA IS THE STOIC BLUE TO CHARL'S HOTHEAD RED. THEME TW NAMG: THEY HAVE ALLERATIVE FAY NAM. TWCTBUNNY: KDA CLASSIL, TOO. THOSE GREEKS RRIED ON WH THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS LIKE NOBODY'S— TW DYNCH: RICHARD IALLY TRODUC CHARL AND CALA AS HALF-INTIL TWS. AS THE PLOT UNRAVELS AND THEIR PERSONALY DIFFERENC EMERGE THEY LOSE THEIR UNED ONT. IN NTRAST TO THEIR EARLIER SCRIPTNS, SOMEONE REMARKS THAT FOR TWS THEY DON'T LOOK MUCH ALIKE AT ALL. AT THE END, YEARS AFTER THE ROLUTN OF THE MA PLOT, THEY BARELY SPEAK TO EACH OTHER ANYMORE.SCLA: DID YOU LOOK MORE ALIKE WHEN YOU WERE LTLE KIDS? I MEAN, THERE'S A FAY REMBLANCE, BUT YOUR HAIR'S NOT EVEN QUE THE SAME LOR. CHARL MAULAY CHARL MAULAYCALA'S HANDSOME TW BROTHER. A GOOD-NATURED YOUNG MAN WH A FONDNS FOR ALHOL. AFFECTNATE NICKNAME: CHARL LLS CALA "MILLY". BILGUAL BON — GREEK, "MéLI" MEANS "HONEY".CHARL: MILLY, MY GIRL. WHERE ARE YOU, HONEY? ALHOL-INDUCED BISEXUALY / EXPERIMENTED COLLEGE: CHARL IS SLEEPG WH BOTH CALA AND FRANCIS ON AN ONGOG (IF EQUENT) BASIS. WHEN HE HOOKS UP WH FRANCIS 'S ALWAYS WHEN HE'S DNK, AND HE REF TO ACKNOWLEDGE AFTERWARDS.FRANCIS: AS FOR CHARL—WELL, BASILLY, HE LIK GIRLS. IF HE'S DNK, I'LL DO. ANIMAL LOVER: CHARL ADOPTS AN OLD GREYHOUND AT THE BEGNG OF THE YEAR, AND A STRAY T AT THE END OF THE YEAR. HE DIDN'T SEEK THEM OUT EHER SE, BUT WHEN THEY NEED A HOME, HE JUMPED AND TOOK THEM . BEWARE THE NICE ON: IN THE EARLY PARTS OF THE BOOK, CHARL IS PROBABLY THE MOST SENSIVE OF THEM ALL. LATER, WH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTN OF RICHARD, CHARL SEEMS TO FEEL THE WORST ABOUT BUNNY'S MURR, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS HE HAS THE MOST PRONOUNCED FREAK OUT.CHARL: [TRYG AND FAILG TO BRG HIMSELF TO PULL THE GLASS OUT OF CALA'S FOOT] I N'T DO . I'M AAID I'LL HURT YOU. [LATER] CHARL: [CLOSE TO TEARS] BUT HOW, HOW ULD YOU POSSIBLY JTIFY LD-BLOOD MURR? CRAZY JEALO GUY / MY SISTER IS OFF-LIMS: CHARL IS VERY POSSSIVE OF HIS TW SISTER, THANKS TO THEIR CTUO RELATNSHIP. DCENT TO ADDICTN / DROWNG MY SORROWS: CHARL—ARGUABLY H HARST BY THE MURR—DROWNS HIS SORROWS LIQUOR TO THE POT OF ALHOL POISONG. ALTHOUGH EVEN BEFORE THAT, HE DRANK RATHER MORE THAN THE RT OF THEM—AND THEY ALL DRANK A LOT. DOMTIC ABE: TO HIS SISTER CALA. THE HORRIFIC ABE IS IMPLIED TO STEM OUT OF HIS EXTREME JEALOY OVER HER RELATNSHIP WH HENRY. WHICH IS HYPOCRIL, BEE HE'S HOOKG UP WH FRANCIS PERDILLY. I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I'VE HAD ENOUGH!: REALLY DON'T APPRECIATE HIS IENDS POTG OUT HIS ALHOLIC TENNCI. SEX FOR SOLACE: IMPLIED TO BE A FACTOR CHARL' REPEATED SCTN OF FRANCIS. SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN: DOWNPLAYED TROPE. HE'S OM VIRGIA, HAS A SLIGHT SOUTHERN ACCENT, AND IS THE MOST SOCIALLY GRACEFUL OF THE GROUP — NEHER STANDOFFISH LIKE HENRY AND FRANCIS NOT OVERBEARG LIKE BUNNY. HIS HAB OF DRSG WHE ALSO HAS SOME ASSOCIATNS TO THIS TROPE. YOU HAVE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNS: CHARL IS MA THE GROUP'S UNOFFICIAL CCO THE FUROR AFTER BUNNY'S ATH. AFTER HE SNAPS UNR THE PRSURE (AMONG OTHER THGS), HENRY BEGS LOOKG FOR A WAY TO DISPOSE OF HIM. CALA MAULAY CALA MAULAYTHE ONLY FEMALE MEMBER OF THE CLIQUE, AND CHARL' TW SISTER. BIRDS OF A FEATHER: CALA AND HENRY ARE THE MORE STOIC, OLHEAD MEMBERS OF THE CLASS, AND ARE LATER REVEALED TO BE VERY CLOSE IENDS (IF NOT MORE). DISSONANT SERENY: SHE IS SURPRISGLY LM SOMETIM, SUCH AS WHEN SHE RECEIV AN IMPROMPTU PASSNATE KISS OM A VERY DNK CHARL ONT OF RICHARD, OR WHEN SHE TELLS RICHARD THAT CHARL TRIED TO KILL HER. SHE IS AS "LM AS A MADONNA" WHEN SHE WNS BUNNY'S MURR. DU MAG: SHE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTN OF THREE MEN THE CLASSICS GROUP — THOUGH 'S AT LEAST PART JT BY VIRTUE OF BEG THE ONLY GIRL PRENT AN SULAR GROUP THAT RISTS SOCIALIZG WH OUTSIRS. OVER THE URSE OF THE NOVEL, CALA IS AN OBJECT OF LT FOR RICHARD HIMSELF, HENRY, AND EVEN HER OWN BROTHER CHARL. AT ONE POT THE NOVEL 'S IMPLIED THAT SHE MAY HAVE REJECTED BUNNY'S ADVANC. IF WE DO UNT BUNNY, THIS MEANS THAT HER ENTIRE IEND GROUP HAS A CSH ON HER, EXCEPT FOR THE GAY BOY. INFORMED FLAW: FRANCIS ALLEG THAT CHARL AND CALA ARE BOTH POSSSIVE OVER EACH OTHER. THE ONLY EVINCE WE SEE OF THIS, THOUGH, IS SGLE VAGUE EXAMPLE. AT AT THE END OF BUNNY'S FUNERAL, THE TWS HAVE A FIGHT WHICH IS IMPLIED TO BE ABOUT CHARL HOOKG UP WH FRANCIS A UPLE HOURS EARLIER. SHE SHOWS NO ANIMOSY AT FRANCIS. THE LOST LENORE: HENRY IS THIS FOR HER. YEARS AFTER HIS ATH, SHE NTU TO LOVE HIM AND NNOT GET OVER HIM. MEANGFUL NAME:DONNA TARTT: I N'T REMEMBER HOW CHARL GOT HIS NAME, BUT CALA GOT HERS OM CALA THE WARRR MAIN THE AENEID — VIRGIL LLS HER "A SACRED FALN" AND THERE IS A BETIFUL PASSAGE WHERE THE MOTHERS OF ITALY GATHER TO WATCH CALA HEADG OFF TO BATTLE. I WAS READG THE AENEID FOR A CLASS RIGHT AROUND THE TIME I STARTED WRG THE SECRET HISTORY. CALA IS AS STRONG AND HEROIC AS ANY SOLDIER THE POEM, AND HER NAME STUCK WH ME. O.O.C. IS SER BS: BUNNY'S HARASSMENT AND JAP BOUNCE OFF OF HER WH EASE, BUT WHEN BUNNY IMPLI THAT SHE'S SLEEPG WH HER BROTHER, SHE GIV HIM AN UNCHARACTERISTILLY ICY RETORT. IT CLU THE REAR THAT BUNNY HAS TOUCHED A NERVE, AND 'S LATER NFIRMED TO BE TE. WHEN A DNKEN CHARL GIV HER A CIDLY SENSUAL KISS ONT OF RICHARD, CALA SEEMGLY DON'T REACT, BUT RICHARD NOTIC THAT SHE PUT SUGAR HER FFEE AFTERWARDS. CALA ALWAYS DRANK HER FFEE BLACK, SO HER GOG FOR THE SUGAR UNRLED THAT SHE WAS SHAKEN AFTER ALL. PRETTY MK: CALA SEEMS TO OWN A FEW FUR ATS. THE SMURFETTE PRCIPLE: CALA ALS WH BEG THE ONLY WOMAN WH TELLIGENCE AND VERVE, FOR THE MOST PART, BUT BEG THE OBJECT OF THREE MEN'S LT AND LOVE TAK S TOLL AFTER A WHILE. RICHARD EMPHASIZ THAT SPE HANGG OUT WH ALL GUYS, SHE IS NOHELS FEME.BEG THE ONLY FEMALE WHAT WAS BASILLY A BOYS' CLUB MT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR HER. [ ] THGS WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIBLY STRANGE AND UNBALANCED WHOUT HER. SHE WAS THE QUEEN WHO FISHED OUT THE SU OF DARK JACKS, DARK KG, AND JOKER. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: SHE IS THIS FOR RICHARD. ALMOST A AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE STORY, HE IS STILL PG AFTER HER. UNKEMPT BETY: RICHARD EMPHASIZ THAT SPE HANGG OUT WH ALL GUYS, CALA IS NOHELS FEME. NOT FEME A STYLIZED KD OF WAY — SHE HAS A "BOYISH HAIRCUT" AND SOMETIM WEARS HER BROTHER'S CLOTH — BUT AN NATE FEMY OF MEANOR. BUNNY LLS HER A "BRAMBLE ROSE, AS OPPOSED TO YOUR HYBRID TEA." PROFSORS JULIAN MORROW THE ECCENTRIC, BUT PTIVATG CLASSICS PROFSOR OF THE CLIQUE, JULIAN IS VERY SELECTIVE ABOUT HIS STUNTS AND HIS WAY OF TEACHG THEM. BROKEN PESTAL: AFTER HE FDS OUT ABOUT BUNNY'S MURR, HE FLE THE SCHOOL (AND PROBABLY THE UNTRY), NEVER TO BE HEARD OM AGA. COOL TEACHER: WH HIS LONG LIST OF FAMO ACQUATANC, PTIVATG PERSONALY AND TEACHG PHILOSOPHY, JULIAN IS FASCATG TO HIS STUNTS. EXPY: JULIAN LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE AN EXPY OM ALMOST EVERY SGLE MOVIE MA ABOUT AN SPIRATNAL TEACHER. FROM THE START, HOWEVER, WE N SEE THAT THIS IS GOG TO BE QUE HEAVILY NSTCTED. FAIR-WEATHER MENTOR: WHEN HE'S FORCED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HIS STUNTS HAVE DONE, HE LEAV THE UNTRY WHOUT A WORD. GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR: IF PEOPLE APART OM HIS STUNTS ADMIRE JULIAN, THIS IS PROBABLY WHY. OVERT OPERATIVE: SOME OF THE MORS ABOUT JULIAN SUGGT THAT HE DO DIPLOMATIC AND/OR TELLIGENCE WORK, POSSIBLY VOLVG THE ISRAMI GOVERNMENT EXILE AS THE HANDLER. PARENTAL SUBSTUTE: IMPLIED TO BE AN INVOKED TROPE. NOT A ONE OF JULIAN'S GROUP OF HANDPICKED STUNTS HAS MUCH PARENTAL GUIDANCE THEIR LIFE. JULIAN THEN ISOLAT THEM HIS OWN LTLE AMY, WH NO OTHER FACULTY VOLVED, WHERE THEY'RE ALSO TO SOME EXTENT SOCIALLY ISOLATED OM OTHER STUNTS. THIS ALLOWS HIM TO STEP AS A PARENTAL SUBSTUTE VERY EASILY. POLILLY MOTIVATED TEACHER: LAFUE SUGGTS THAT JULIAN IS THIS FOR PHG ELISM AND SEGREGATG THE MORE POSH STUNTS OM THEIR MORE MON PEERS. HE MAY BE HYPOCRIL ON THIS, BUT HE'S CERTALY NOT WRONG.JULIAN: EVEN PLATO KNEW THAT CLASS AND NDNG AND SO FORTH HAVE AN ALTERABLE EFFECT ON THE DIVIDUAL. RENOWNED SELECTIVE MENTOR: HE ONLY TEACH A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND IS NOTORLY DIFFICULT TO BEE HIS STUNT.LAFUE: HE ACCEPTS ONLY A LIMED NUMBER OF STUNTS. A VERY LIMED NUMBER. [...] I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY NTUE TO LIST HIS URS THE GENERAL TALOGUE—'S MISLEADG, EVERY YEAR THERE IS NFN ABOUT —BEE, PRACTILLY SPEAKG, THE CLASS ARE CLOSED. I AM TOLD THAT TO STUDY WH HIM ONE MT HAVE READ THE RIGHT THGS, HOLD SIAR VIEWS. IT HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY THAT HE HAS TURNED AWAY STUNTS SUCH AS YOURSELF WHO HAVE DONE PRR WORK CLASSICS. SELECTIVE OBLIVNS: JULIAN WANTS TO BELIEVE THE BT OF EVERYONE, UNTIL NONTED WH EVINCE TO THE NTRARY....A PARTICULARLY SHREWD REMARK ONCE MA BY, OF ALL PEOPLE, BUNNY. "Y'KNOW," HE SAID, "JULIAN IS LIKE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT'LL PICK ALL HIS FAVORE CHOLAT OUT OF THE BOX AND LEAVE THE RT." THIS SEEMS RATHER ENIGMATIC ON THE FACE OF , BUT ACTUALLY I NNOT THK OF A BETTER METAPHOR FOR JULIAN'S PERSONALY. IT IS SIAR TO ANOTHER REMARK MA TO ME ONCE BY GE LAFUE, ON AN OCSN WHEN I HAD BEEN EXTOLLG JULIAN TO THE SKI. "JULIAN," HE SAID CURTLY, "WILL NEVER BE A SCHOLAR OF THE VERY FIRST RATE, AND THAT IS BEE HE IS ONLY PABLE OF SEEG THGS ON A SELECTIVE BASIS." SHROUD MYTH: MANY STRANGE STORI ABOUND ABOUT JULIAN MORROW'S PAST, THE VAST MAJORY OF WHICH REALLY DON'T CHECK OUT. HENRY HAS OLD PICTUR OF HIM WH VIVIEN LEIGH, THE SWELLS, T. S. ELT, AND MARILYN MONROE.NEARLY EVERYONE HAD HEARD OF HIM, AND I WAS GIVEN ALL SORTS OF NTRADICTORY BUT FASCATG RMATN: THAT HE WAS A BRILLIANT MAN; THAT HE WAS A D; THAT HE HAD NO LLEGE GREE; THAT HE HAD BEEN A GREAT TELLECTUAL THE FORTI, AND A IEND TO EZRA POUND AND T. S. ELT; THAT HIS FAY MONEY HAD E OM A PARTNERSHIP A WHE-SHOE BANKG FIRM OR, NVERSELY, OM THE PURCHASE OF FORECLOSED PROPERTY DURG THE DEPRSN; THAT HE HAD DODGED THE DRAFT SOME WAR (THOUGH CHRONOLOGILLY THIS WAS DIFFICULT TO PUTE); THAT HE HAD TI WH THE VATIN; A POSED ROYAL FAY THE MIDDLE EAST; FRAN'S SPA. THE GREE OF TTH ANY OF THIS WAS, OF URSE, UNKNOWABLE BUT THE MORE I HEARD ABOUT HIM, THE MORE TERTED I BEME... TEACHER/STUNT ROMANCE: NEVER NFORMED, BUT TWO IMPLIED S: WORKS AS A SUPER TUTOR TO THE YOUNG PRCS OF THE ISRAMI ROYAL FAY. ONE OF THE MANY MORS ABOUT HIM IMPLI THAT HE IS RRYG ON AN AFFAIR WH HER. HIS RELATNSHIP WH HENRY IS ALSO QUTNABLE. HENRY CLEARLY HAS AN OBSSN WH HIM, AND—ACRDG TO RICHARD'S GAYDAR—JULIAN IS POSSIBLY GAY. ONCE, EARLY ON, RICHARD OVERSE THEM TERACTG WHILE THEY THK THEY'RE ALONE, AND HENRY GIV JULIAN "A QUICK LTLE BSLIKE KISS ON THE CHEEK." HENRY IS THE ONLY ONE OF JULIAN'S STUNTS WHO HAS EVER BEEN TO HIS HOE. THEY WOULD BOTH FELY BE TO THE IA OF LOVER AND BELOVED FOR GREEK REASONS. FOR WHAT 'S WORTH, CL FRERICKS—THE REAL-LIFE ENIGMATIC CLASSICS PROFSOR AT BENNGTON DURG DONNA TARTT'S TIME—WAS OPENLY GAY AND DID HAVE AN AFFAIR WH A STUNT. THKS LIKE A ROMANCE NOVEL: PERHAPS THE MOST STRIKG STANCE OF THIS IS WHEN HE IS AIDG THE SEARCH FOR BUNNY, AND STOPS FOR A MOMENT TO BASK THE DRAMATISM OF THE SUATN. HE IS PLEASED THAT HE IS PART OF SOMETHG SO DRAMATIC, AS IF HE GETS TO LLECT ANOTHER SCENE FOR THE NOVEL THAT HE THKS LIFE IS. GE LAFUE BOOMERANG BIGOT: IMPLIED TROPE. HE BELIEV JULIAN MIGHT BE GAY AND HAVG AN AFFAIR WH HIS MALE STUNTS, BUT HIS NSCLY SCRIBED SIARI TO THE GAY TELLECTUAL MICHEL FOUULT SUGGT HE MAY BE SPEAKG OM A VERY PARTICULAR SORT OF PLACE. NO CELEBRI WERE HARMED: HE LOOKS A LOT LIKE MICHEL FOUULT AND HAS A SIAR DISTST OF TRADNALLY-MD AMICS. OBSTCTIVE BURECRAT: GE LAFUE IS HANT TO LET RICHARD JO JULIAN'S CLASS, PRUMABLY BEE HE SPECTS JULIAN OF APPROPRIATE NDUCT WH STUNTS, BUT LARGELY BEE HE DISLIK JULIAN'S OBSSN WH TRADN AND APPARENT ELISM. POLILLY MOTIVATED TEACHER: GENUELY BELIEV HIS MORE MORN, CLIVE APPROACH TO PEDAGOGY IS BETTER FOR STUNTS, AND DISTSTS JULIAN (AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTMENT) FOR PHG WHAT HE SE AS A MORE TRADNAL OR EVEN REACTNARY AGENDA. DR ROLAND THE CUCKOOLANR WAS RIGHT: DURG THE WTER, DR ROLAND TWICE MENTNS A IEND OF RICHARD'S HE'S SEEN AROUND. RICHARD DISMISS THIS, SAYG HIS IENDS ARE ALL OUT OF TOWN AND ASSUMG THAT DR ROLAND JT HAS NO IA WHO HIS IENDS ARE. DR ROLAND IS REFERRG TO LEGIMATE SIGHTGS OF HENRY, WHO'S RETURNED EARLY WHOUT RICHARD KNOWG. OBFTG STUPIDY:DR ROLAND'S SENILE MANNER WAS SAID TO BE A FA; TO ME SEEMED QUE GENUE BUT SOMETIM, WHEN YOU WERE OFF YOUR GUARD, HE WOULD DISPLAY AN UNEXPECTED FLASH OF LUCIDY, WHICH—THOUGH EQUENTLY DID NOT RELATE TO THE TOPIC AT HAND—WAS EVINCE THAT RATNAL PROCS MBLED SOMEWHERE THE MUDDIED PTHS OF HIS NSCNS. OLD WDBAG: RICHARD HAS A JOB WORKG FOR DR ROLAND, "AN OLD, DAZED, DISORRED-LOOKG FELLOW" WHO IS HAPPY TO TALK ALL ABOUT RS WHEN RICHARD BRGS THEM UP.IT WAS SOMETIM DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT DR ROLAND WAS A TENURED PROFSOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF THIS, A DISTGUISHED LLEGE. HE WAS MORE LIKE SOME GABBY OLD DGER WHO WOULD S NEXT TO YOU ON A B AND TRY TO SHOW YOU BS OF PAPER HE KEPT FOLD HIS WALLET. OTHER STUNTS
Camp Gay: Francis. After the murr, however, all good feelgs vanish bee he won't stop needlg them about and be terribly cel, (pecially to Cala, Francis and Richard for beg female, gay and poor, rpectively). Everyone know Francis is gay, but they don't addrs directly.
Polilly Inrrect Hero: While most of the characters are implicly classist (heck, the book is even assigned llege soclogy class bee of ), Bunny (who mak mean ments about homosexuals, femal, Catholics, Jews, Italians, and the lower-e over the urse of the story) really tak the ke. He tri to get Richard to his class rather than Julian's, largely bee he believ his more morn, liberal views are better—although he ats his anti-elism homophobia (ma all the more ironic by his siary appearance and mannerisms to Fouult).
" Papen speaks of his gay hookup evasively, sayg only, "Matters progrsed.