Richard Caramel Character Analysis in The Beautiful and Damned

Attended Harvard along with Anthony Patch and Maury Noble. His friends also refer to him as Dick. Originally from Kansas City, he introduces his cousin Gloria Gilbert to Anthony and Maury when she and her parents visit New York for the winter. Dick shares his college friends’ dream of becoming an author, but he has much more drive than either of them. He is sensitive to their disparaging comments about how he is always working on his novel, The Demon Lover. However, by the time they are all in their early thirties, he alone has made a name for himself as a novelist.

Richard Caramel Quotes in The Beautiful and Damned

The The Beautiful and Damned quotes below are all either spoken by Richard Caramel or refer to Richard Caramel. 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:

While it seemed to him that the average débutante spent every hour of her day thinking and talking about what the great world had mapped out for her to do during the next hour, any girl who made a living directly on her prettiness interested him enormously.

Related Characters: Anthony Patch, Richard Caramel, Gloria Gilbert

Page Number and Citation: 29

Explanation and Analysis:

Dick has just told Anthony about his cousin, a girl named Gloria Gilbert, who is visiting from Kansas City. Anthony tells Dick that he does not care for young girls, but immediately thereafter reflects, through the narrator’s voice, that this is not a true statement. In fact, he admires girls who manage to get by without doing anything except being pretty. Anthony’s admiration of girls who make a living on their beauty reflects both his desire not to work and his obsession with his own good looks. His desire of beautiful women goes beyond simple heterosexual desire; he does not Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore

“…[Dick] says the biography of every woman begins with the first kiss that counts, and ends when her last child is laid in her arms…He says unloved women have no biographies – they have histories.”

Related Characters: Gloria Gilbert (speaker), Richard Caramel, Anthony Patch

Page Number and Citation: 53

Explanation and Analysis:

On their first date, Anthony jokes that Gloria seems to love talking about herself. He imagines that her autobiography would be “a classic.” Gloria responds by telling Anthony that according to Dick, only women who are loved by men can have biographies. Otherwise, they have histories. The contrast Dick has reportedly made between, on the one hand, a mother who has had a “kiss that counted,” and on the other hand, an “unloved” woman is a loaded idea: Dick thinks that women rely not only on men but also on motherhood to lead “loved” existences. Additionally, Dick seems to have Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure.

“It’s been mighty funny, this success and all,” said Dick. “Just before the novel appeared I’d been trying, without success, to sell some short stories. Then, after my book came out, I polished up three and had them accepted by one of the magazines that had rejected them before. I’ve done a lot of them since; publishers don’t pay me for my book till this winter.”

“Don’t let the victor belong to the spoils.”

Related Characters: Richard Caramel (speaker), Anthony Patch (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 162

Explanation and Analysis:

Visiting Anthony at his house in Marietta, Richard Caramel reflects on his recent success as a novelist. He tells Anthony that although he was not able to succeed as a short story writer before his novel was published, he has since managed to sell several stories to publishers, tiding him over financially until he is paid for his novel. Anthony’s response, “Don’t let the victor belong to the spoils,” is rephrased as the epigraph of the novel. This exchange between Richard and Anthony recalls the relationship between Fitzgerald and one of his contemporaries, Ernest Hemingway. Fitzgerald used short story writing Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qu

She was at the top now and could see the lands about her as successive sweeps of open country, cold under the moon, coarsely patched and seamed with thin rows and heavy clumps of trees…The oppression was lifted now – the tree-tops below her were rocking the young starlight to a haunted doze. She stretched out her arms with a gesture of freedom. This was what she had wanted, to stand alone where it was high and cool.

Related Characters: Gloria Gilbert, Anthony Patch, Richard Caramel, Maury Noble

Page Number and Citation: 213

Explanation and Analysis:

Dick, Maury, and a stranger named Joe Hill come to the house in Marietta one night. Gloria does not trust Joe, but Anthony does not listen to her protestations of his company. She escapes to the bedroom, but Joe finds her there. It seems as though she might be assaulted, so Gloria runs out of the house, seeking high ground and solitude. Gloria’s elevation above the landscape is reminiscent of other moments at which she and Anthony try to position themselves above others. However, in this instance, there is a curious lack of other people on whom Gloria is looking Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferend

Richard Caramel Character Timeline in The Beautiful and Damned

The timeline below shows where the character Richard Caramel appears in The Beautiful and Damned. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...sets the book aside to take a bath before meeting his friends Maury Noble and Dick Caramel for dinner at the Ritz. He admires his body in the mirror. Relaxing in... (full context)

...a passage that Fitzgerald formats like a scene in a play, Anthony and Maury discuss Dick’s absence and his devotion to the novel he is writing, The Demon Lover. They exchange... (full context)

Dick has a bulging paunch and a bulging forehead. He is beginning to go bald. Dick... (full context)

...Anthony sees an uptick in social invitations. On 42nd Street one afternoon, Anthony runs into Richard Caramel. He begrudgingly walks with Dick and listens to him discuss his writing process, remarking... (full context)

Dick tells Anthony that he has a famous cousin named Gloria Gilbert who they could go... (full context)

Dick goes on to say that Gloria is nice but has no brains. When Anthony teases... (full context)

Anthony and Dick go upstairs to the Gilberts’ apartment. Gloria is out dancing, but they meet first Mrs.... (full context)

Anthony and Dick discuss the weather and Gloria with the Gilberts. The narrator describes the young men laughing... (full context)

...but often spends weekends in Philadelphia with his mother and brother. After his afternoon with Dick, Anthony is delighted to find that Maury is home for a weekend for once. Maury’s... (full context)

...probably understands nothing of the history of the world. The question of whether or not Dick could write her as a character in his book leads Anthony and Maury to an... (full context)

...beauty of her legs with Maury. When Maury reveals that she turned out to be Dick’s cousin, Anthony realizes that the girl is the very Gloria Gilbert he missed at the... (full context)

...sleeping late. When he finally gets up, he dresses slowly and adds an evening with Dick and Gloria to a very short to-do list. He marvels at how much more structured... (full context)

...laments to himself that he is weak and aging too fast, lacking the aspirations of Dick or even Maury. (full context)

...overcome with disgust for his inability to apply himself to any pursuit except drinking cocktails, Dick buzzes into the apartment and announces Gloria. Upon answering the door, Anthony immediately notices her... (full context)

Dick chimes into the conversation about names, but the conversation keeps falling back into a dialogue... (full context)

...flaws. Anthony turns the conversation topic to Gloria herself. She tells him that according to Dick, she has no autobiography because “the biography of every woman begins with the first kiss... (full context)

Dick Caramel has always wanted to be a writer, but after college he was caught in... (full context)

In January 1914, Dick’s book is nearly complete and is the subject of most of his social interactions. It... (full context)

...Kansas City, she no longer seems to care about her reputation and has grown “cold.” Dick listens, reflecting that while he used to be interested in Gloria as the subject of... (full context)

Dick notices Gloria’s two friends with what he thinks of as the novelist’s eye. Muriel Kane... (full context)

The party to which Gloria invited Dick and her friends takes place at the Biltmore. Before Gloria, Muriel, or Rachael arrive, Joseph... (full context)

Everyone falls to eating soup and listening to the orchestra. All but Richard and Rachael drink champagne, and all but Gloria and Bloeckman dance. Anthony watches Gloria as... (full context)

...a strange glance. When Gloria goes by, Bloeckman rises and then resumes his conversation with Dick about literature’s influence on film. The narrator comments that Anthony will reflect on this moment... (full context)

...moving through her day and decides that he must kiss her again. He goes to Dick’s reading of his novel but resumes calling Gloria at six in the evening. When he... (full context)

...fresh. He begins the six-week hiatus by falling asleep. As the six weeks roll on, Dick’s manuscript is accepted for publication. Anthony feels a growing distance between himself and his friends.... (full context)

Wedding plans are interrupted by the debut of Dick’s novel and the attention he receives from it. He remains an usher in the wedding... (full context)

...scene in a play to present a conversation among six ushers in the wedding, including Dick and Maury. The men are all drinking in Adam Patch’s library and jump quickly from... (full context)

...of each other the more they get to know one another. Anthony begins talking to Dick more again, and Gloria finds herself attracted to other men. Anthony turns out to be... (full context)

...diplomatic service and be envied by princes and prime ministers for his beautiful wife.” At Dick’s suggestion, they look at houses in the country. Gloria insists that they must have one,... (full context)

...club. Anthony is annoyed when Muriel Kane comes to visit, and Gloria is annoyed when Dick comes to visit. Anthony is relieved to hear Dick discuss his own trouble with motivation... (full context)

...who looks more dignified than he did a year ago. They discuss the adaptation of Dick’s novel for the screen and discover that they now live only five miles apart. Anthony... (full context)

...Anthony, who once used to argue with Maury over who would pay for dinner with Dick, now has less money than Dick. He and Gloria have decided to forego California this... (full context)

One evening, Dick and Maury come to the house with a stranger named Joe Hull. Gloria does not... (full context)

Anthony finally tries in earnest to write. He criticizes Dick for the fallen quality of his writing, but when Anthony does finish a short story,... (full context)

...with Germany. Anthony takes on “a new glamour” as military service is glorified, and he, Dick, and Maury submit applications to go to officer training camps. However, Anthony fails a blood-pressure... (full context)

...He begins spending time with new friends who do not know him as well as Dick and Maury. He is drunk every day. Although he finds himself taunting Gloria about her... (full context)

One day, Anthony meets Richard Caramel for the first time in months. Dick tells Anthony that he has been hearing... (full context)

Anthony and Dick go back to Dick’s house, which is full of books. Anthony tells Dick that beauty... (full context)

...is to be read. He plans to meet Gloria, who is spending the day with Dick, at the courthouse. After Gloria leaves the apartment with Dick, Anthony finds a letter from... (full context)

Gloria and Dick come in later to find a smashed chair, the smell of perfume, and Anthony on... (full context)

Richard Caramel Character Analysis

Richard Caramel Quotes in The Beautiful and Damned

Chapter 2 Quotes

Chapter 4 Quotes

Chapter 5 Quotes

Richard Caramel Character Timeline in The Beautiful and Damned