Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Tender Is the Night, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Excess, Destruction, and the Failed American Dream
Gender, Mental Illness, and Psychiatry
The Pursuit of Youth and Innocence
Racism and Otherness
Summary
Analysis
It’s April and Nicole can hear a fight going on downstairs in their villa. Augustine, the French cook, is brandishing a large knife at Dick, who is trying to fire her for drinking too much of their vintage wine. In retaliation, Dick waves his walking stick at Augustine, and the two exchange angry words. Refusing to leave, Augustine shouts at the Divers, calling them “disgusting Americans.” Eventually, after the Diver's pay her off, Augustine’s nephew picks her up and the Divers are left in peace.
Fitzgerald again draws attention to a pervasive tension between American expatriates and European locals when depicting an absurd fight between Dick and their cook, Augustine. Augustine is offended by the Diver’s excessive and lavish lifestyle, thinking of them as spoiled and ridiculous, while Dick is outraged that a member of staff would help herself to their good wine. Their poisonous fight is symptomatic of Dick’s recent bitterness and aggression.
Themes
Dick and Nicole travel to the French town of Nice that day. They dine on exquisite seafood and wine but find that they have little to talk about these days. Suddenly Nicole declares “I’ve ruined you […] you used to want to create things—now you seem to want to smash them up.” Nicole trembles—she hates criticizing Dick—but he has become unbearable lately, and prone to angry outbursts against people’s “race, class, way of life.”
Dick and Nicole try to pretend that their relationship is salvageable—taking comfort in an expensive lunch, for old time’s sake—but it is obvious that they can’t go on. Dick is aggressive, moody, and temperamental. Indeed, he has become increasingly intolerant of difference and prone to bigoted outbursts. This might be because Dick perceives various shifts in the social structure around him—for example, an increase in rights for women and people of color—as a threat to his superior position in society.
Themes
Dick changes the subject, pointing to a boat in the distance. It belongs to T.F. Golding, one of Baby’s ex lovers, and Dick announces that they should pay a visit. Hiring a boat, Dick and Nicole set off across the water. They are welcomed onboard the ship and realize that Golding is having a party. A small orchestra is playing, and dinner is being served. Nicole is embarrassed to have come; she lost contact with some of the guests during her illness and senses that she’s not very popular with the crowd.
Feeling a flash of his former youthful and impulsive spark, Dick suggests that he and Nicole go on an adventure. No doubt Dick longs to feel young and free again. They arrive on Golding’s boat to find a splendid and lavish party, with impressive music and fashionable guests. Nicole feels small and insecure in the company, but Dick doesn’t seem to notice.
Themes
Delightedly, Nicole spots Tommy Barban and rushes to greet him. His skin is darker than before and his accent has changed from years of traveling. “You like just like all the adventurers in the movies,” Nicole exclaims. She notices a “small, pale, pretty young woman” who must have been sat beside them but, realizing that she’s lost Tommy’s attention, walks off “petulantly.” Tommy explains that Lady Caroline Sibly-Biers is one “of the wickedest women from London.”
Nicole is saved when she sees Tommy, a man she knows has always loved her. Tommy represents adventure and romantic heroism, and Nicole is probably glad for an excuse to leave Dick’s side since he is so unpleasant to be around these days.
Themes
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At dinner, Dick is seated next to Lady Caroline and, although Nicole can only catch snippets of their conversation, it’s clear that Dick has offended Lady Caroline when her face “turns dark” and she says, “After all, a chep’s a chep and a chum’s a chum.” Just then, a man at the piano starts singing a childish song about “a young lady from hell.” Tommy explains that Lady Caroline wrote the words. Dick is furious but when he confronts her, she accuses him loudly of “asking for it.” The two cause quite the scene, interrupting the party with their argument, and Golding intervenes to break them up. Nicole is furious, with both Dick and the “preposterous” woman.
Fitzgerald makes fun of Lady Caroline’s British accent here, writing her dialogue phonetically, as she would have spoken it: “chep” rather than “chap.” Fitzgerald also uses this exact line in his short story, “The Hotel Child,” in which a wealthy young American girl finds herself surrounded by classy yet poor Europeans. Lady Caroline’s line, then, might indicate that she has all of the pomp and snobbery of a sophisticated European, but ultimately has no wealth. Dick is incensed by the lyrics of Lady Caroline’s song. It is possible that Lady Caroline intended to offend Dick by referencing Nicole’s madness, calling her “a young lady from hell.” If this is the case, Nicole is oblivious to the insult, but it sparks a new wave of fury in Dick, who embarrasses himself in front of everyone.
Themes
Nicole heads onto the deck to find Dick. She is worried about him, but when she tries to reassure him by saying, “It would give me so much pleasure to think of a little something I could do for you, Dick,” he reacts with bitter words and grabs her wrist. When Tommy finds them, tears are streaming “down Nicole’s face.” When they go to join the dancers, Tommy asks Nicole if Dick has been drinking. “Only moderately,” she replies. Back in Cannes, Tommy insists on driving the Divers home—Dick is too drunk to do so.
Dick lashes out violently at Nicole, who is just trying to comfort him. Dick hates the suggestion that he is the one who now needs to be taken care of. After years of Dick controlling and manipulating Nicole, their power dynamic has begun to shift—his alcoholism has left him helpless and feeble. Nonetheless, Nicole remains loyal to Dick when downplaying his drinking problem to Tommy.
Themes
