Matthew Beach Character Analysis in Tell Me Everything

Matthew Beach is the son of Gloria and Walter Beach and the younger brother of Thomas and Diana Beach. As a young boy, Matthew had cancer, and Gloria devoted herself wholly to his care; now, in Gloria’s old age, Matt returns the favor, living with his mother and acting as her fulltime caretaker. As he grapples with his difficult mother, Matt becomes a shut-in—he has no friends and no cell phone, and his only hobby is painting pregnant women (a passion that raises eyebrows around town). But when Matt becomes the lead suspect in his mother’s murder case, his defense lawyer Bob realizes that Matt is a “lot more normal” than anyone gives him credit for. Instead, as Bob and Matt grow closer, Bob learns that Matt is a gifted, dedicated artist, an insightful (and often dryly funny) person, and an excellent friend. After Matt loses his sister in addition to his mother, Bob suggests that he sees social worker Katherine Caskey, who enables Matt to work through some of his myriad childhood trauma. As Matt dives deeper into his paintings and builds new friendships with people like Margaret Estaver, Bob reflects on Matt’s ability to thrive even after unimaginable pain—a tenacity that reminds Bob of Little Annie, Lucy’s miraculously strong plant. And just like Little Annie continues to grow after being transplanted, Bob reflects that Matt’s life force will carry him through even the darkest tragedies.

Matthew Beach Quotes in Tell Me Everything

The Tell Me Everything quotes below are all either spoken by Matthew Beach or refer to Matthew Beach. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Storytelling, Empathy, and Meaning Theme Icon

“Oh no, that would be great!” Matt said. “You are the only person in the world who cares where I am.” But he said it cheerfully. Then he said, “Can I see where you are too?”

“Sure,” Bob said. So he set that up for Matt as well. “Now you’re the only person who can track me,” Bob said. “I don’t even let my wife track me.”

“Why not?” Matt asked, and Bob said it was because he sometimes went off to have a cigarette.

She doesn’t know you smoke?” Matt asked. “Even I know you smoke.”

“How?” Bob asked, and Matt said, “Because I can smell it.”

“Oy,” said Bob, and Matt said, “I like how you say oy.”

Bob could not wait to tell Lucy all about it.

Related Characters: Matthew Beach (speaker), Bob Burgess (speaker), Margaret Estaver , Lucy Barton

Related Symbols: Bob’s Cigarettes

Page Number and Citation: 200

Explanation and Analysis:

“It’s not your fault,” Bob said. He placed the roller covered with white paint into a plastic bag. He had told this to Matt many times over these last few days. Through the window the new leaves shone a bright green in the early afternoon sunshine.

Matt turned and went back down the stairs, and after a few minutes Bob followed him; Matt was sitting at the dining room table. “I don't feel right,” Matt said, and Bob said, “I keep telling you that means you’re normal.”

Related Characters: Matthew Beach (speaker), Bob Burgess (speaker), Gloria Beach, Diana Beach

Page Number and Citation: 247

Explanation and Analysis:

Standing up, he happened to glance at the window, and he saw a man and a woman walking on the sidewalk together. […] And the woman was laughing, and once or twice she bumped her hip against the man she was with, and then he realized that the man was Matt Beach.

Bob stood at the window and watched them; it was extraordinary. Their faces were happy as they walked side by side, and then Matt reached and held the woman’s hand. Bob watched until they were out of view.

Leaning against his desk, Bob thought then of Little Annie, the plant that Lucy had. How Lucy was afraid that the plant had died, but it had not. Every leaf had fallen off, but then it broke through, a tiny little new green leaf at the top of it.

What a thing this life force was, Bob thought.

Related Characters: Lucy Barton , Matthew Beach, Bob Burgess, Gloria Beach

Related Symbols: Little Annie

Page Number and Citation: 321

Explanation and Analysis:

Matthew Beach Character Timeline in Tell Me Everything

The timeline below shows where the character Matthew Beach appears in Tell Me Everything. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...of their lives.” On one of these back roads, near Shirley Falls, a man named Matthew Beach lives with his 86-year-old mother Gloria Beach. One November day, two weeks after Lucy’s... (full context)

Family, Inheritance, and Cyclical Abuse Theme Icon

Matt calls the police right away. When the case makes the local newspapers, Bob calls his... (full context)

Susan thinks Matt killed Gloria (though she wouldn’t blame him for doing so, given how awful “Bitch Ball”... (full context)

...hopes their romance can begin again. Susan is still talking about the Beach case—how sick Matthew Beach looks, how clean the house is. “Anyways,” the narrator interjects, “as we have said,... (full context)

...tractor about to fall off of its wheels. Everyone in Crosby assumes Bob will take Matthew Beach’s case, though Bob claims he is staying out of it. To help make up... (full context)

...when Jim, recounting all of the “Bitch Ball” horror stories from his youth, opines that Matthew Beach definitely murdered his mother. Jim also remembers Diana, who always seemed “sweetly sad.” (full context)

...officially, but since Ashley Munroe has such an airtight alibi, suspicion still mostly falls on Matt Beach. (full context)

...was.” Most of what is known about her life comes from a small journal that Matt would eventually turn over to Bob. The journal reveals that Gloria’s childhood was deeply traumatic:... (full context)

...Ball”). It was during this period that Gloria gave birth to Diana and then to Matthew, though she says little about this in the journal. Instead, Gloria talks about how much... (full context)

Gloria also writes in her journal about Diana’s beauty and about Matthew’s battle with leukemia. Caring for her son during his illness made Gloria’s anxiety so bad... (full context)

...brother’s case, and in spite of himself, Bob calls the number Diana gives him for Matthew Beach. The phone rings and rings, but no one answers. (full context)

Bob is on his way to Mrs. Hasselbeck’s house when Matt calls him back. Even though Bob has not committed to anything, Matthew thanks him profusely... (full context)

Bob drives to Matthew Beach’s house, which is on the outskirts of Shirley Falls. When Bob arrives, a dog... (full context)

The dog is still barking as Matt and Bob sit down at the kitchen table. Bob asks Matt what information he has... (full context)

Matt also tells Bob that the officers asked about Gloria’s will. At the time, Matt had... (full context)

Matt claims that he had no idea how much money Gloria actually had, or that he... (full context)

Bob opens his laptop and gets to work. First, he advises Matt not to tell anyone that he has found the will. Then, he asks how Matt... (full context)

...to look around the house. On the second floor, Bob discovers a series of paintings Matthew has done of nude pregnant women. The paintings are abstract and filled with careful brushstrokes... (full context)

Bob asks Matt if he has any friends who might be willing to be character witnesses. Embarrassed, Matt... (full context)

Finally, Bob asks Matt whether there is a gun in the house. Matt replies that there is a loaded... (full context)

Suddenly, Matt breaks into tears. “You know what hurts me the most?” he asks Bob. “That my... (full context)

The prosecutor in Matthew Beach’s case is named Carol Hall. Carol Hall is a talented lawyer, and she is... (full context)

...that her credit card was stolen. Bob finds her “believable,” so he asks her about Matt Beach. (full context)

Ashley’s face softens when she talks about Matt. Ashley had heard that Matt would pay pregnant women $25 per hour to model for... (full context)

...Margaret that he wants her to ask him a few questions, too. Margaret asks about Matt Beach, then discourages Bob from taking the case. This makes Bob angry. He wishes he... (full context)

To distract themselves, Bob and Jim discuss the Matthew Beach case. Even though this means violating confidentiality, Bob has no qualms because he trusts... (full context)

...office, waiting to meet with Diana Beach. His mind is racing, flashing between memories of Matt’s paintings and thoughts of Jim and Helen. Diana walks in, looking chic and not at... (full context)

Diana begins to talk about her family. She believes the situation Matt had with their mother was “unhealthy,” and she admits that she could “barely stand” to... (full context)

...Diana was able to get away from Shirley Falls, earning a scholarship to Brown University, Matt never got to get away. (full context)

...and apologizes sincerely to Bob. The next morning, she asks to hear all about the Matt Beach case, and Bob feels somewhat comforted—but he still cannot shake the “age-old sadness” that... (full context)

On the following day, Bob picks up Matt’s computer from the police. Looking through it, Bob discovers some typed journal entries. In one,... (full context)

Before Bob leaves the house that day, he asks Matt if there is anything else to share about the case. Matt says no, but Bob... (full context)

To put his mind at ease, Bob buys Matt a cell phone and sets it up so that he can track Matt’s location. Matt... (full context)

...find out more, but there are no police reports of any abuse. When Bob asks Matt about it on the phone that night, Matt says he doesn’t really know what happened. (full context)

...subsides—“don’t think about it,” she tells Bob, referencing their old joke. Bob tells Lucy about Matt Beach’s cell phone, and Lucy talks about her daughters. (full context)

...leaves start sprouting “like young girls, shy in their beauty.” Bob finally talks about the Matt Beach case to Lucy, and he is relieved to get her thoughts. Lucy tells Bob... (full context)

...that he cannot come to New York; instead, he needs to be here to protect Matt Beach. Lucy understands immediately, and Bob rushes off to find Diana, who has already called... (full context)

Matt calls back, explaining that Diana told him to meet her at this hotel—but that she... (full context)

A week later, Bob is on the porch at Matt Beach’s house, admiring the spring foliage and bright sun. Bob is thinking about Lucy, about... (full context)

The first few days after his sister’s death, Matt sleeps most of the day and night. Then, he starts talking, and Bob listens for... (full context)

Matt admits that he knew Diana was guilty; she had visited once when Ashley Munroe was... (full context)

Matt gives Bob Gloria’s journals and Diana’s suicide note. In the note, Diana confesses, though she... (full context)

...luckiest people alive.” Suddenly, Bob hears a sound like a mewling cat. Bob realizes that Matt is crying, and he goes to Matt’s room. Matt cries in Bob’s arms for almost... (full context)

Sometimes, Margaret comes over with food. Privately, Bob tells Matt about what is happening at the church. He thinks Margaret is now a better minister... (full context)

The leaves are growing bigger and greener every day. Matt recalls that when Bob called him to tell him about Diana’s suicide, he called Matt... (full context)

On the fourth day, Matt wants to throw out all of his paintings (“stupid things,” he says with disgust). To... (full context)

...is of Bob’s feelings for Lucy. Then Margaret shows Bob how she wants to hang Matt’s picture, right above their staircase. It looks amazing there, and Bob texts Matt a picture.... (full context)

...soon relaxes and begins to tell Lucy about the day Diana died. Bob recalls calling Matt Beach “son,” and he remembers how a slight breeze blew the leaves of the trees... (full context)

...she forgot to tell Lucy some good news—Charlene Bibber has a boyfriend now. Across town, Matt calls Bob and announces that he wants to paint a picture of Bob as a... (full context)

...preaching at her church. As summer approaches, the tourists start to return to the beaches. Matthew Beach receives two letters from women who have read about his story in the papers.... (full context)

...diagnosis. Olive asks about Bob, and Lucy demurs, saying that Bob is busy with the Matt Beach case. Olive notices that Lucy’s face turns pink again. (full context)

...want to see Lucy, for fear she will be put off by the haircut. Only Matt Beach makes Bob feel better, telling Bob that despite the ugly haircut, he retains his... (full context)

Bob goes over to Matt’s house to sit for Matt’s painting. After Matt is done sketching, he tells Bob that... (full context)

Suddenly, Matt understands that Bob’s guilt about his father is what drove him to defend Matt against... (full context)

After hearing from Matt about Katherine, Bob lights a cigarette and decides to text Lucy. Lucy asks Bob if... (full context)

The next day, Matt calls Bob in distress. Matt explains that while showing Katherine Gloria’s journals, he broke down... (full context)

...Bob excitedly that she is deciding to stay with Ted and go to couples’ therapy. Matt Beach is not there, but he calls Bob to wish him a happy birthday and... (full context)

Matt finishes the painting of Bob, and Margaret hangs it in their living room. Bob continues... (full context)

...a woman outside his window, laughing and holding hands. Bob realizes that the man is Matt Beach. Bob thinks about Little Annie, how new sprouts broke through even when Lucy thought... (full context)

Bob calls Margaret to tell her about Matt. Joyfully, Margaret tells Bob that “you did this.” Bob protests, but Margaret insists that only... (full context)

Tell Me Everything

Matthew Beach Character Analysis

Matthew Beach Quotes in Tell Me Everything

Book 3, Chapter 5 Quotes

Book 4, Chapter 5 Quotes

Book 4, Chapter 14 Quotes

Matthew Beach Character Timeline in Tell Me Everything