The Secret History

by

Donna Tartt

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Judy Poovey Character Analysis

Judy is one of the only non-Greek students with whom Richard spends a significant amount of time. Although Judy’s primary activities are gossiping and taking drugs, she is kind to Richard and does what she can to help him. Richard regularly insinuates that Judy is romantically interested in him, but he does not reciprocate her advances.
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Judy Poovey Character Timeline in The Secret History

The timeline below shows where the character Judy Poovey appears in The Secret History. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2 
The Human Capacity for Violence Theme Icon
...him too hot in the warm weather. When he enters the shared bathroom, he spots Judy Poovey, a fellow Californian. Judy tells Richard a story about a time when she was... (full context)
Class and Identity Theme Icon
...about the other Californians at Hampden. Richard tells them that he doesn’t know many except Judy. Unsurprisingly, the dislike between Camilla and Judy is mutual, and Camilla seems annoyed when Richard... (full context)
Chapter 5
Manipulation and Paranoia Theme Icon
...know what he has in mind. One day, while driving around high on cocaine with Judy Poovey, Richard spots Henry in a head shop talking to a hippie. Henry seems to... (full context)
Intellectual Pursuits and Reasonability   Theme Icon
Richard doesn’t wake up until the following afternoon. Before long, he runs into Judy, who informs him that today there is a campus-wide party called “Swing into Spring.” Richard... (full context)
Chapter 6
Guilt Theme Icon
Manipulation and Paranoia Theme Icon
Still searching for relief from his racing thoughts, Richard seeks out Judy, who gives him what she says is a sleeping pill. During a brief conversation, Judy... (full context)
Guilt Theme Icon
By the time Richard gets to the party, the pill Judy gave him starts to work. As it turns out, it is not a sleeping pill,... (full context)
Guilt Theme Icon
...wait a few minutes, though, of course, Bunny never arrives. After class, Richard runs into Judy, who is angry at him because he “went home with Mona Beale.” She warns him... (full context)
Guilt Theme Icon
...Richard gets up and prepares for the coming day. While doing so, he runs into Judy, who offers him some kind words because she knows about Bunny’s disappearance. However, Richard is... (full context)
Manipulation and Paranoia Theme Icon
...who is also known as “the Snow Queen.” Nonetheless, this new development scares Cloke, who Judy thinks may have tried to flee. (full context)
Chapter 7
Guilt Theme Icon
...the Corcorans, and Richard doesn’t spend time with the others. Instead, he hangs out with Judy and her friends. Whenever Judy is left alone with Richard, she tries to sleep with... (full context)
Chapter 8
Guilt Theme Icon
The same night, Richard goes out and parties with Cloke, Judy, and Sophie Dearbold. He wakes up the next evening to a knock on the door,... (full context)