Larry Decker Character Analysis in The Goldfinch

Larry is Theo’s father. A failed actor and alcoholic, Larry never treats either Audrey or Theo particularly well, and he abandons them months before Audrey dies. Theo later realizes that, during this time, Larry moved to Las Vegas with his girlfriend, Xandra, and began professionally gambling. Shortly after Audrey’s death, Larry reappears to collect Theo and bring him to live in Vegas. While at first Theo is optimistic that Larry might be trying to reconnect with him, it ultimately turns out that Larry believed Theo was left a “fortune” in Audrey’s will, money which he tries to steal in order to pay his gambling debts. Although Larry can be charming, he is overall a fairly morally corrupt character. He is selfish, cruel, and avoids responsibility for his actions. These traits are exacerbated by his alcohol, gambling, and opiate addictions. He ends up dying in a drunk-driving accident while trying to escape his debts (and once again abandoning his family).

Larry Decker Quotes in The Goldfinch

The The Goldfinch quotes below are all either spoken by Larry Decker or refer to Larry Decker. 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:

That was your father that died. Your own father. And you act like it was, I don’t know, I’d say the dog, but not even the dog. Because I know you’d care if it was the dog got hit by a car, at least I think you would.

Related Characters: Xandra (speaker), Theo Decker, Larry Decker

Page Number and Citation: 370

Explanation and Analysis:

Larry Decker Character Timeline in The Goldfinch

The timeline below shows where the character Larry Decker appears in The Goldfinch. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

However, Theo has been having other problems at school, too. Ever since his father (Larry) abandoned him and Audrey, Theo’s teachers have been giving him extensions and other special allowances,... (full context)

...history at NYU. She was in the middle of her master’s degree when she met Larry and dropped out before finishing. Now, she suggests that she and Theo “poke around” the... (full context)

...the news happening to her. The fear was compounded by the fact that his father, Larry, was so unstable, with wildly unpredictable mood swings and a drinking problem. He was irritable... (full context)

Because of these habits, Audrey and Theo were not surprised or concerned when Larry first disappeared. College football season had just begun, and it seemed likely that Larry had... (full context)

...thinks about the fact that Audrey is an only child. His only living grandparents are Larry’s dad and stepmother, who live in Maryland. Theo does not have a good relationship with... (full context)

...a diner downtown and order him scrambled eggs. They ask him when he last saw Larry, and he guesses it was sometime the previous fall. They ask about any close friends... (full context)

...subtle ways, such as by backing up his assertions that he has no idea where Larry is. She also orders that the radio, TV news, and newspaper be kept away from... (full context)

...a while,” as Hobie is speaking to him like a normal kid. Theo mentions that Larry used to tease him for liking Edgar Allen Poe, then adds that Larry was an... (full context)

...back uptown. When he gets to the Barbours’, he is stunned to see his father, Larry, waiting for him with Mrs. Barbour. Larry looks tan, and is accompanied by another very... (full context)

Larry says that they need the key to Theo and Audrey’s apartment to sort through the... (full context)

...manages to retrieve The Goldfinch and bring it to his bedroom, but at this moment Larry comes in, and Theo hastily throws a towel over the painting. Larry tells Theo not... (full context)

Larry continues to gripe about Audrey, while Theo remains silent. Eventually Xandra joins them in Theo’s... (full context)

...the other doormen haven’t said anything to the men who’ve been coming around asking about Larry. Theo is surprised by this, and doesn’t know who these men might be. (full context)

That night at a “touristy” restaurant, Larry takes a call from Audrey’s insurance company, which Theo can’t hear because Xandra is talking... (full context)

...he is drunk. The next morning, he feels horrifically hungover. Mr. Barbour asks Theo about Larry, trying to keep his tone friendly. Platt mentions that Theo was drunk last night, and... (full context)

Larry is in a hurry to return to Las Vegas, and only days after he arrives... (full context)

...be good” for Theo. Hobie asks if Theo is scared of going to live with Larry, and Theo says he isn’t, adding that Larry has stopped drinking. He admits that he... (full context)

Larry is annoyed that Theo is trying to bring two suitcases to Las Vegas, although Mrs.... (full context)

...out of” New York. She says she is nervous about the flight, and she and Larry kiss, which disgusts Theo. At the airport, Theo is terrified that they will open his... (full context)

...even the airport produces a kind of sensory overload. Theo is shocked to see that Larry’s car is a brand new Lexus. Gliding through the desert landscape and past the dazzling... (full context)

Theo asks how long Larry has had the Lexus, and he replies that it’s been over a year, which means... (full context)

Theo’s room is just as “bare and lonely” as the rest of the house. Downstairs, Larry and Xandra are screaming at each other. Carefully, Theo removes The Goldfinch from his bag... (full context)

In the following weeks, before school starts, Theo covertly listens to Larry and Xandra’s conversations. He discovers that Larry had been regularly coming to Las Vegas before... (full context)

...house, and one day he asks Xandra what they are. She explains that she and Larry often play baccarat at the MGM Grand, and that the sheets of paper are records... (full context)

When Xandra and Larry are at home, Theo tends to stay in his room, but when they are out... (full context)

...says that his father’s alcoholism killed the nerves in his feet, and Theo says that Larry is “supposedly” sober now. (full context)

...thinks she’s selling it, and it suddenly occurs to Theo that he doesn’t know where Larry gets his money. He notes that there is never money or checks lying around the... (full context)

Larry and Xandra book themselves a Thanksgiving dinner at a hotel on the Strip. Larry invites... (full context)

...it doesn’t matter—what’s important is that Hobie is kind. Boris has also developed sympathy for Larry. He has a better understanding of the way in which Larry makes money from gambling,... (full context)

Boris and Larry enthusiastically discuss politics together, and although it makes Theo cringe to see Larry imitating Boris’... (full context)

While Larry has barely noticed Boris moving in, Xandra is a different matter. It is almost Christmas,... (full context)

...much time on the Strip before, and tonight, they are overwhelmed by what they see. Larry has made a reservation at a fancy Italian restaurant and tells the boys to “Order... (full context)

...misses Boris even more because of the drinking and fights that have been escalating between Larry and Xandra. Larry is mostly in a good mood because football season has begun. He... (full context)

When Theo comes downstairs to watch Larry betting, Larry hands him $20 or even $50, saying this is to pique his interest... (full context)

Larry has been extremely kind to Theo lately, taking him out for fancy dinners every week.... (full context)

...a few weeks before Thanksgiving Boris comes over to Theo’s house and tells him that Larry has been having a “bad run” lately. Theo has no knowledge of this, and asks... (full context)

When Theo says Larry isn’t, Mr. Silver replies, “I’m gonna be straight with you […] I got five points... (full context)

When Larry comes back and Theo tells him about Mr. Silver, Theo can tell he is trying... (full context)

...inspections—he figures it would be better than leaving it at home to be discovered by Larry or Mr. Silver. He takes the painting out of its careful wrapping and looks at... (full context)

...that he doesn’t care because he has his own problems to worry about. That night, Larry comes home in a spectacular mood, having picked up Chinese food for dinner. When Xandra... (full context)

Theo’s calm mood is soon destroyed by Larry pulling him aside and asking him to call Audrey’s lawyer. Theo is surprised; he was... (full context)

Larry seems briefly confused, then says that he’s actually thinking of another solution—something that will only... (full context)

Larry is now holding Theo and screaming at him, threatening to beat him up if he... (full context)

...it wasn’t the right time to discuss it properly. Prompted by an angry look from Larry, Theo blurts out that he wants to go to private school. Bracegirdle seems surprised, but... (full context)

...left, then concludes that she probably set it up this way in order to avoid Larry accessing it. (full context)

...worry because the account is secured, Theo is shocked into silence. When he gets off, Larry lets out a howl so dramatic that it sounds like he’s being tortured. (full context)

...Theo sit in the playground, waiting for the acid to kick in. Boris says that Larry told him Theo had a “fortune.” He then says that he has some news of... (full context)

...holding a baseball bat. He greets Theo warmly, but then goes on to ask if Larry is at home, saying he has a “problem” with him. Theo can see that there... (full context)

...out for pancakes. Theo splashes water on his face and observes the bruise from where Larry hit him. Just as they are getting ready to leave, they spot Xandra, who is... (full context)

...its contents. There is cash in there, as well Audrey’s earrings, which disappeared just before Larry abandoned her and Theo. Boris, meanwhile, has found a large amount of cocaine. He taps... (full context)

...and Boris stole from her. Theo replies that she stole Audrey’s earrings, but Xandra says Larry gave them to her as a gift. She warns Theo that the way he and... (full context)

...telling her to look him up herself. In response to Theo’s rudeness, Xandra emphasizes that Larry was Theo’s father, and Theo seems to care less about his death than he would... (full context)

...Theo has spoken to his grandfather, and Theo explains that his grandfather and step-grandmother hated Larry and didn’t seem upset about this death. (full context)

On Monday morning Theo calls Bracegirdle and tells him what happened to Larry. Bracegirdle is horrified, and admits he had been a little misleading about the money in... (full context)

Theo dreams that Larry is scolding him for messing up a travel reservation. He is awakened by Pippa coming... (full context)

...has come to resemble Audrey. Theo knows that in reality he looks much more like Larry. During the conversation, Theo realizes that Audrey and Bracegirdle must have been very close. Bracegirdle... (full context)

...calling the police on Theo. Yet even more distressing than this are Theo’s thoughts about Larry. He worries that Larry might have thought that Theo intentionally withheld the money from him. (full context)

...Theo sometimes wonders sadly why Audrey hadn’t married someone like Hobie or Bracegirdle instead of Larry, someone who shared her interests and would have treated her with kindness and generosity. (full context)

Theo thinks about Larry sometimes too, reminded of him when he passes Chinese restaurants, as this was the food... (full context)

After leaving Kitsey outside Barney’s, Theo goes to the bar where Larry used to drink and considers taking a shot of whisky in his memory. However, he... (full context)

Theo is especially “squeamish” about the prospect of having children. Larry had been the same way, and Theo is sure that it’s a genetic disposition. Theo... (full context)

...but he did most of it himself. Like Theo, he also took the opiates, which Larry had evidently been addicted to. It turned out that Xandra had been selling cocaine at... (full context)

...the car. They drink vodka and do bumps of cocaine. Boris reminisces that it was Larry who taught him how to dress well. (full context)

...wanted to give it back to Theo, but because Theo insisted on leaving the night Larry died, he couldn’t. Boris admits that the painting has made his whole fortune. Still in... (full context)

...abject horror of the world and the pointless misery of human existence. He thinks about Larry, whose gambling habit made him obsessed with finding the hidden pattern in things. However, Theo... (full context)

...reads the hotel’s copies of Dutch newspapers. At one point while watching TV he saw Larry at 25, in a non-speaking role in a cop show. His only interactions with other... (full context)

...death but also Sacha, Horst, and The Goldfinch. He is determined not to be like Larry, “dodging an scheming up until the very [last] moment.” He flushes the heroin Boris gave... (full context)

...sense of gratitude or beauty.” Boris tries to reminisce about the Christmas they spent with Larry and Xandra in Las Vegas, but Theo does not respond. Boris gestures toward the bag... (full context)

...the money, but Boris assures him that he’s already set himself up. Boris recalls when Larry gave him $500, and how much that meant to him. Becoming tearful, he laments that... (full context)

...like a secret. Hobie then reflects on fate in a way that reminds Theo of Larry. Hobie notes that in this sense, gamblers perhaps understand the world better than anyone. (full context)

Theo is reminded of one of Larry’s catchphrases: “Sometimes you have to lose to win.” A year has passed since he returned... (full context)

Larry Decker Character Analysis

Larry Decker Quotes in The Goldfinch

Part 2, Chapter 6 Quotes

Larry Decker Character Timeline in The Goldfinch