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Maude Ivory
Billy Taupe is a former member of the Covey and Lucy Gray’s former lover. Coriolanus describes him as being ruled by big, powerful emotions and sees him as a rival. Billy Taupe was kicked out of the Covey after the reaping; prior to the reaping, he’d begun dating Mayfair Lipp, the mayor’s daughter, and when Mayfair and Lucy Gray found out about each other, Lucy Gray’s name was called in the reaping. Though Lucy Gray says she wants nothing to do with him, Billy Taupe tries often to convince the Covey to take him back. Coriolanus also discovers that Billy Taupe is involved in the rebel cause and is even getting information from Sejanus. During an altercation one night, a rebel named Spruce shoots Billy Taupe.
Billy Taupe Quotes in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes quotes below are all either spoken by Billy Taupe or refer to Billy Taupe. 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:
).
Chapter 25 Quotes
“I believe I said you could fight for the tributes, meaning you might be able to procure more humane conditions for them,” Coriolanus corrected him.
“Humane conditions!” Sejanus burst out. “They’re being forced to murder each other!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Billy Taupe Character Timeline in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The timeline below shows where the character Billy Taupe appears in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 24
Maude Ivory puts herself between Lucy Gray and the man, whom she calls Billy Taupe . She tells him to get away and to take his “weasel girl” with him....
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On the way back to the base, Coriolanus notices Billy Taupe , bloody and scowling, against a wall. Coriolanus doesn’t tell his fellows, as he doesn’t...
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...his face back at the base, he thinks through seeing Lucy Gray again. He hates Billy Taupe for spoiling the reunion, but he also believes that the Covey rejecting Billy Taupe “confirm[s]...
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...Hunger Games if people don’t have televisions that work properly. Then, Maude Ivory explains that Billy Taupe is Clerk Carmine’s brother. The Covey girls are all Baird cousins, and the Covey found...
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...Lucy Gray as soon as they step in and says that “he’s making trouble again.” Billy Taupe is in the front yard with Sejanus, drawing in the dirt and talking. Coriolanus doesn’t...
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Chapter 25
Sejanus jumps up guiltily, but he shakes Billy Taupe ’s hand. He leaves for the house. Lucy Gray tells Billy Taupe to leave, but...
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...show at the Hob and head off. As the boys walk, Sejanus hesitantly admits that Billy Taupe and other people in District 12 are just trying to check in on Lil, who’s...
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Sejanus stammers that Billy Taupe was asking for a friend, and Coriolanus notes that the friend is probably Arlo’s friend—and...
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Chapter 26
...was really nice at the Capitol, where Coriolanus always knew where she was. Who knows, Billy Taupe could be trying to win her back right now. Coriolanus spends the next few days...
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Chapter 27
Later, while the others swim again, Lucy Gray brings up Billy Taupe . She tells Coriolanus she doesn’t miss him and explains that somehow, her name was...
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...the hanging tree. Why is she writing about a place she used to go with Billy Taupe ? Later, on the hike back, Maude Ivory tells Coriolanus they don’t see Billy Taupe...
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Chapter 28
...song about her lover drinking up all their money. It sounds like another song about Billy Taupe , which just angers Coriolanus more. Coriolanus saved her life, after all, not Billy Taupe.
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...the garage with cash. Then, Coriolanus peeks into the doorway. He can see Sejanus and Billy Taupe examining a bag of guns. Then, Coriolanus feels a gun in his ribs just as...
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Spruce seems suspicious, but Billy Taupe reminds him that Lucy Gray is “his girl” who’s coming north with them. Lucy Gray...
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...he realizes Lucy Gray could still be in trouble since she used to be with Billy Taupe . But he reasons it’d be hard to prove her guilty. This makes him feel...
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Chapter 29
...that Mayor Lipp won’t leave her alone, as he’s sure Lucy Gray killed Mayfair and Billy Taupe . He’s been threatening her and the Covey, so Lucy Gray is going to run...
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...her song about the hanging tree—that’s where they’ll meet. He doesn’t like that she and Billy Taupe hung out there, but it’s probably a safe spot. He tries to parse the meaning...
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Chapter 30
It’s taking Lucy Gray a long time to dig up the katniss. Coriolanus flashes on Billy Taupe accusing Lucy Gray of “playing” the Covey, and remembers how she killed Wovey, Treech, and...
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...it—when suddenly, a snake strikes him. She clearly planted the snake; Coriolanus now sympathizes with Billy Taupe . The wound hurts, but he still feels fine. He pulls his rifle into his...
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