Gay characters the post-Stonewall era go a lot wir and eper than ‘Will & Grace’ and ‘Ellen.’
Contents:
- THE CLIQUE THE CLIQUE JOTLY 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. BLON, BTE, REDHEAD: CHARL, HENRY, AND FRANCIS RPECTIVELY. CULTURALLY RELIG: HENRY AND FRANCIS AND THE TWS — THAT IS TO SAY, THE REAL RE OF THE CLIQUE — WERE ALL RAISED CATHOLIC. NONE OF THEM ARE PARTICULARLY FAHFUL TODAY, BUT BUNNY'S ANTI-CATHOLIC TIRAS STILL GET UNR THEIR SK. THERE'S SOMETHG KD OF ATHETILLY CATHOLIC ABOUT DARK AMIA — OLD, LAVISH — AND 'S THE FOUR OF THEM WHO ARE THE TLY ATHETIC ON A WAY BUNNY AND RICHARD NEVER REALLY ARE. DZY GENI: THE CLASSICS CLIQUE ARE IALLY TRODUCED AS A GENI BOOK CLUB OF THE BETIFUL ELE. 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 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: IN SPE OF (OR BEE OF) HIS MON REA OF HAVE I MENTNED I AM HETEROSEXUAL TODAY?, RICHARD IS NOT ONLY FASCATED TO AN EXTENT WH SAME SEX ATTRACTN BUT ALSO OCSNALLY BE SLIGHTLY MORE TIMATE THAN EXPECTED WH SOME OF HIS MALE IENDS THE CLASSICS GROUP. 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 NEVER CEAS TO REMD THE REAR.WHILE I DON'T SUPPOSE THAT ANYONE WHO HAS VOTED MUCH ENERGY TO THE STUDY OF CLASSICS N BE VERY MUCH DISTURBED BY HOMOSEXUALY, NEHER AM I PARTICULARLY FORTABLE WH AS NCERNS ME DIRECTLY. GAYDAR: RICHARD CLAIMS HE HAS GOOD GAYDAR BEE HE'S SO NOT GAY. YEAH, SURE RICHARD, THAT'S A THG.I HAD LIVED WH HENRY FOR A MONTH, AND THERE HADN'T BEEN THE FATT HT OF THAT SORT OF TENSN, WHICH I, BEG RATHER MORE DISCLED THAT WAY THAN NOT, AM QUICK TO PICK UP ON. I HAD UGHT A STRONG BREATH OF OM FRANCIS, A WHIFF OF AT TIM OM JULIAN; AND EVEN CHARL, WHO I KNEW WAS TERTED WOMEN, HAD A SORT OF NAIVE, PREPUBCENT SHYNS OF THEM THAT A MAN LIKE MY FATHER WOULD HAVE TERPRETED ALARMGLY—BUT WH HENRY, ZERO. ANXIETY DREAMS: ESPECIALLY DURG HIS TIME LEO'S WAREHOE. 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, SOPHIE, A GIRL (WHO HE SLEEPS WH) THAT ALREADY HAS A BOYIEND, 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. EMBARRASSG OLD PHOTO: RICHARD STROYS THE ONLY PHOTO OF HIS MOTHER THAT HE OWNS, FOR FEAR THAT BUNNY WILL SEE AND REALIZE THAT RICHARD GREW UP RELATIVELY POOR. 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 / PBALL PROTAGONIST: 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. FISH OUT OF WATER / STRANGER A STRANGE SCHOOL: HE'S OM A VERY MOST BACKGROUND AND TRI SPERATELY TO F WH HIS WEALTHIER PEERS. 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. PASS FAIL: OF THE CLASS VARIETY. HIS FAY APPEAR TO BE LOWER-MIDDLE CLASS, BUT SEVERAL OF THE OTHERS THE GREEK CLASS E OM ENOUGH FAY MONEY THAT THEY WILL NEVER HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVG. 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) SCHOLARSHIP STUNT: HE GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO HI HIS LOWER-MIDDLE CLASS UPBRGG OM HIS RICH IENDS. 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. WH FRIENDS LIKE THE...: RICHARD GETS SHOT; NOBODY NOTIC. 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. HENRY SUFFERED A SER JURY THAT GAVE HIM PERMANENT FACIAL SRRG AS A CHILD, AND BUNNY SAYS HENRY GETS UNFORTABLE TALKG ABOUT .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: 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. TOWARDS THE END, HENRY TELLS RICHARD:HENRY: I LOVED HIM 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, AND RICHARD HAS TO TELL HIM OUTRIGHT THAT HUMAN BEGS HAVE LAND ON THE MOON.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. 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. 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 TENDS TO H HARR THAN HE MEANS TO. A MAJOR PLOT POT. GENI CRIPPLE / HANDIPPED BADASS: HE WALKS WH A SLIGHT LIMP, AND 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. 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 ALSO 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. SOCPATHIC HERO: HEAVILY NSTCTED AND SUBVERTED. TALL, DARK, AND SNARKY: HE IS TALL, DARK-HAIRED AND OFTEN A B LD AND TO OTHERS. YOU HAVE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNS: TO CHARL, AND APPARENTLY RICHARD. BUNNY CORRAN EDMUND "BUNNY" 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: BUNNY IS A SEXIST, RACIST, HOMOPHOBIC BOOR WH GCHE MANNERS (WHOM RICHARD IALLY MISTAK FOR A SHG EXAMPLE OF THE BETIFUL ELE). THE CLASSICS CLIQUE HAVE HAD THEIR FILL OF HIM BY HALFWAY THROUGH THE NOVEL, AND HIS THREATS TO REVEAL THEIR SECRET ARE THE LAST STRAW. 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. 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. 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 JOTLY HAIR OF GOLD, HEART OF GOLD: CHARL AND CALA ARE BLOND AND WHOLOME AND ANGELIC, AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK. 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. 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, A MOR CHARACTER 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. CHARL MAULAY CHARL MAULAYCALA'S HANDSOME TW BROTHER. A GOOD-NATURED YOUNG MAN WH A FONDNS FOR ALHOL. AFFECTNATE NICKNAME: CALLS CALA "MILLY".CHARL: MILLY, MY GIRL. WHERE ARE YOU, HONEY? BILGUAL BON: IN GREEK, "MéLI" MEANS "HONEY". ALHOL-INDUCED BISEXUALY / EXPERIMENTED COLLEGE: CHARL IS SLEEPG WH BOTH CALA AND FRANCIS ON AN ONGOG (IF EQUENT) BASIS. BUT 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: HE 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: 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. CRAZY JEALO GUY / MY SISTER IS OFF-LIMS: 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. IN VO VERAS: CHARL'S RECKLSNS AND ANGER ISSU ARE MUCH CLOSER TO THE SURFACE WHEN HE'S DRKG. SEX FOR SOLACE: IMPLIED TO BE A FACTOR CHARL' REPEATED SCTN OF FRANCIS. 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 / THE STOIC: 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 / UNWANTED HAREM: 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 EQUALLY POSSSIVE OVER EACH OTHER—BUT WE NEVER SEE ANYTHG AT ALL THAT SUGGTS CALA IS JEALO OVER CHARL, AND SHE CERTALY SHOWS NO BTERNS OVER THE TRYSTS FRANCIS AND CHARL HAVE. OF URSE, GIVEN THAT FRANCIS IS LOVE WH CHARL, HE MIGHT BE AN UNRELIABLE EXPOSOR. THE LOST LENORE: HENRY IS THIS FOR HER. YEARS AFTER HIS ATH, SHE NTU TO LOVE HIM AND NNOT GET OVER HIM. MEANGFUL NAME: CALA WAS ALSO THE SISTER OF THE HORATII, WHO KILLED HER FIANCE. 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: RICHARD REMARKS, "BEG THE ONLY FEMALE WHAT WAS BASILLY A BOYS' CLUB MT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR HER." 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.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: AT LEAST SOME OF THE TIME. BUNNY LLS HER A "BRAMBLE ROSE", AND RICHARD NOT HOW BETIFUL SHE IS EVEN WHEN SHE'S WEARG HER BROTHER'S CLOTH OR HER HAIR IS A MS. OTHERS
- WHEN HOLLYWOOD STUDS MARRIED OFF GAY STARS TO KEEP THEIR SEXUALY A SECRET
- A HISTORY OF GAY WASHGTON THAT LETS HOMOPHOBIA STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT
- LBGTQ TV: A HISTORY OF GAY CHARACTERS, OM STONEWALL TO ‘BATWOMAN’
THE CLIQUE THE CLIQUE JOTLY 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. BLON, BTE, REDHEAD: CHARL, HENRY, AND FRANCIS RPECTIVELY. CULTURALLY RELIG: HENRY AND FRANCIS AND THE TWS — THAT IS TO SAY, THE REAL RE OF THE CLIQUE — WERE ALL RAISED CATHOLIC. NONE OF THEM ARE PARTICULARLY FAHFUL TODAY, BUT BUNNY'S ANTI-CATHOLIC TIRAS STILL GET UNR THEIR SK. THERE'S SOMETHG KD OF ATHETILLY CATHOLIC ABOUT DARK AMIA — OLD, LAVISH — AND 'S THE FOUR OF THEM WHO ARE THE TLY ATHETIC ON A WAY BUNNY AND RICHARD NEVER REALLY ARE. DZY GENI: THE CLASSICS CLIQUE ARE IALLY TRODUCED AS A GENI BOOK CLUB OF THE BETIFUL ELE. 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 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: IN SPE OF (OR BEE OF) HIS MON REA OF HAVE I MENTNED I AM HETEROSEXUAL TODAY?, RICHARD IS NOT ONLY FASCATED TO AN EXTENT WH SAME SEX ATTRACTN BUT ALSO OCSNALLY BE SLIGHTLY MORE TIMATE THAN EXPECTED WH SOME OF HIS MALE IENDS THE CLASSICS GROUP. 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 NEVER CEAS TO REMD THE REAR.WHILE I DON'T SUPPOSE THAT ANYONE WHO HAS VOTED MUCH ENERGY TO THE STUDY OF CLASSICS N BE VERY MUCH DISTURBED BY HOMOSEXUALY, NEHER AM I PARTICULARLY FORTABLE WH AS NCERNS ME DIRECTLY. GAYDAR: RICHARD CLAIMS HE HAS GOOD GAYDAR BEE HE'S SO NOT GAY. YEAH, SURE RICHARD, THAT'S A THG.I HAD LIVED WH HENRY FOR A MONTH, AND THERE HADN'T BEEN THE FATT HT OF THAT SORT OF TENSN, WHICH I, BEG RATHER MORE DISCLED THAT WAY THAN NOT, AM QUICK TO PICK UP ON. I HAD UGHT A STRONG BREATH OF OM FRANCIS, A WHIFF OF AT TIM OM JULIAN; AND EVEN CHARL, WHO I KNEW WAS TERTED WOMEN, HAD A SORT OF NAIVE, PREPUBCENT SHYNS OF THEM THAT A MAN LIKE MY FATHER WOULD HAVE TERPRETED ALARMGLY—BUT WH HENRY, ZERO. ANXIETY DREAMS: ESPECIALLY DURG HIS TIME LEO'S WAREHOE. 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, SOPHIE, A GIRL (WHO HE SLEEPS WH) THAT ALREADY HAS A BOYIEND, 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. EMBARRASSG OLD PHOTO: RICHARD STROYS THE ONLY PHOTO OF HIS MOTHER THAT HE OWNS, FOR FEAR THAT BUNNY WILL SEE AND REALIZE THAT RICHARD GREW UP RELATIVELY POOR. 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 / PBALL PROTAGONIST: 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. FISH OUT OF WATER / STRANGER A STRANGE SCHOOL: HE'S OM A VERY MOST BACKGROUND AND TRI SPERATELY TO F WH HIS WEALTHIER PEERS. 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. PASS FAIL: OF THE CLASS VARIETY. HIS FAY APPEAR TO BE LOWER-MIDDLE CLASS, BUT SEVERAL OF THE OTHERS THE GREEK CLASS E OM ENOUGH FAY MONEY THAT THEY WILL NEVER HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVG. 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) SCHOLARSHIP STUNT: HE GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO HI HIS LOWER-MIDDLE CLASS UPBRGG OM HIS RICH IENDS. 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. WH FRIENDS LIKE THE...: RICHARD GETS SHOT; NOBODY NOTIC. 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. HENRY SUFFERED A SER JURY THAT GAVE HIM PERMANENT FACIAL SRRG AS A CHILD, AND BUNNY SAYS HENRY GETS UNFORTABLE TALKG ABOUT .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: 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. TOWARDS THE END, HENRY TELLS RICHARD:HENRY: I LOVED HIM 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, AND RICHARD HAS TO TELL HIM OUTRIGHT THAT HUMAN BEGS HAVE LAND ON THE MOON.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. 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. 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 TENDS TO H HARR THAN HE MEANS TO. A MAJOR PLOT POT. GENI CRIPPLE / HANDIPPED BADASS: HE WALKS WH A SLIGHT LIMP, AND 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. 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 ALSO 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. SOCPATHIC HERO: HEAVILY NSTCTED AND SUBVERTED. TALL, DARK, AND SNARKY: HE IS TALL, DARK-HAIRED AND OFTEN A B LD AND TO OTHERS. YOU HAVE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNS: TO CHARL, AND APPARENTLY RICHARD. BUNNY CORRAN EDMUND "BUNNY" 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: BUNNY IS A SEXIST, RACIST, HOMOPHOBIC BOOR WH GCHE MANNERS (WHOM RICHARD IALLY MISTAK FOR A SHG EXAMPLE OF THE BETIFUL ELE). THE CLASSICS CLIQUE HAVE HAD THEIR FILL OF HIM BY HALFWAY THROUGH THE NOVEL, AND HIS THREATS TO REVEAL THEIR SECRET ARE THE LAST STRAW. 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. 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. 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 JOTLY HAIR OF GOLD, HEART OF GOLD: CHARL AND CALA ARE BLOND AND WHOLOME AND ANGELIC, AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK. 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. 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, A MOR CHARACTER 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. CHARL MAULAY CHARL MAULAYCALA'S HANDSOME TW BROTHER. A GOOD-NATURED YOUNG MAN WH A FONDNS FOR ALHOL. AFFECTNATE NICKNAME: CALLS CALA "MILLY".CHARL: MILLY, MY GIRL. WHERE ARE YOU, HONEY? BILGUAL BON: IN GREEK, "MéLI" MEANS "HONEY". ALHOL-INDUCED BISEXUALY / EXPERIMENTED COLLEGE: CHARL IS SLEEPG WH BOTH CALA AND FRANCIS ON AN ONGOG (IF EQUENT) BASIS. BUT 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: HE 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: 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. CRAZY JEALO GUY / MY SISTER IS OFF-LIMS: 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. IN VO VERAS: CHARL'S RECKLSNS AND ANGER ISSU ARE MUCH CLOSER TO THE SURFACE WHEN HE'S DRKG. SEX FOR SOLACE: IMPLIED TO BE A FACTOR CHARL' REPEATED SCTN OF FRANCIS. 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 / THE STOIC: 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 / UNWANTED HAREM: 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 EQUALLY POSSSIVE OVER EACH OTHER—BUT WE NEVER SEE ANYTHG AT ALL THAT SUGGTS CALA IS JEALO OVER CHARL, AND SHE CERTALY SHOWS NO BTERNS OVER THE TRYSTS FRANCIS AND CHARL HAVE. OF URSE, GIVEN THAT FRANCIS IS LOVE WH CHARL, HE MIGHT BE AN UNRELIABLE EXPOSOR. THE LOST LENORE: HENRY IS THIS FOR HER. YEARS AFTER HIS ATH, SHE NTU TO LOVE HIM AND NNOT GET OVER HIM. MEANGFUL NAME: CALA WAS ALSO THE SISTER OF THE HORATII, WHO KILLED HER FIANCE. 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: RICHARD REMARKS, "BEG THE ONLY FEMALE WHAT WAS BASILLY A BOYS' CLUB MT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR HER." 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.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: AT LEAST SOME OF THE TIME. BUNNY LLS HER A "BRAMBLE ROSE", AND RICHARD NOT HOW BETIFUL SHE IS EVEN WHEN SHE'S WEARG HER BROTHER'S CLOTH OR HER HAIR IS A MS. OTHERS
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... * gay characters in the secret history *
Published May 22, 2022Updated May 23, 2022When you purchase an penntly reviewed book through our se, we earn an affiliate CITYThe Hidn History of Gay WashgtonBy Jam Kirchick826 pag. )And yet the very skills gay people had to velop to survive — studns, partmentalizatn, discretn, erancy — ma them uniquely skilled, Kirchick pots out, to sensive tasks like pnage or high-level advisg.
WHEN HOLLYWOOD STUDS MARRIED OFF GAY STARS TO KEEP THEIR SEXUALY A SECRET
* gay characters in the secret history *
Fil, rrponnce, terview transcripts and prs clippgs — you n almost hear the old microfiche sheets tickg by — Kirchick holds the most dited persecutors, some of whom were themselv the closet, to sthg Morigi“Even at the height of the Cold War, was safer to be a Communist than a homosexual, ” he wr. ” Later, as tolerance grew (thanks part to the efforts of the Mattache Society, the gay rights anizatn whose evolutn is traced here), some nfirmed bachelors took the important seat once occupied by Perle Mta, the cy’s famed “hosts wh the mosts. Kirchick wr of Nancy Reagan: “Her own persona is pably, irreprsibly gay, embodied by the retue that signed, drsed, rted, entertaed, flattered, hoed, humored, pampered, styled and tillated her.
A HISTORY OF GAY WASHGTON THAT LETS HOMOPHOBIA STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT
It would be bt read at the vlet hour wh a snifter of brandy a wood-paneled library, one of those wh a rollg ladr to brg down some of the fad midcentury bt-sellers rurfaced the pag, like Vidal’s “The Cy and the Pillar” — the narrative perks up nsirably whenever this ntent, urbane wrer arriv on the premis — “Washgton Confintial, ” by Jack La and Lee Mortimer (1951), wh s fabled “Garn of Pansi”; and “Advise and Consent, ” by Allen Dry (1959), which won a Pulzer and was ma to a movie by Otto ’s also a Baeker of important plac (map clud): the rollickg Chicken Hut bar where Teboe met his murrers; the “F Loop” of the Dupont Circle pickup scene that veloped the 1960s; the Cema Folli, the pornographic theater where ne men died a 1977 fire; the “gay rner” of the Congrsnal Cemetery; and, more hopefully, the Lambda Risg is overwhelmgly a gallery of the whe male gaytriarchy, wh lbians and people of lor mostly on the sil. Ambiguoly Gay: Richard has spicns about Francis (which are nfirmed), Charl (which are partially nfirmed), Bunny and Julian (which are not). 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.
But Richard is straight, as he never ceas to remd the I don't suppose that anyone who has voted much energy to the study of Classics n be very much disturbed by homosexualy, neher am I particularly fortable wh as ncerns me directly. The Friend Nobody Lik: Bunny is a sexist, racist, homophobic boor wh gche manners (whom Richard ially mistak for a shg example of The Betiful Ele).
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 You ask me, he's as smart as Henry. 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.
LBGTQ TV: A HISTORY OF GAY CHARACTERS, OM STONEWALL TO ‘BATWOMAN’
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 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). 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.