Richard DeTamble Character Analysis in The Time Traveler’s Wife

Richard is Henry’s father. He is a professional violinist who was happily married to famous vocalist Annette Lyn Robinson (Henry’s mother) prior to her sudden death, and he never gets over his grief; Annette’s death marks the beginning of his ongoing struggle with alcoholism as well as his tense relationship with Henry. Richard becomes aware of Henry’s time traveling soon after Annette’s death. Instead of supporting his son, he regards him as selfish and volatile. Henry believes that his resemblance to his mother only exacerbates his father’s resentment because he is always reminded of his wife when he looks at his son. Richard’s initial introduction to Clare is fraught—he is brutally honest with her about the emotional numbness he has experienced since Annette’s death and his disapproval of Henry as he attempts to dissuade Clare from marrying him. But when Clare asserts that she’s marrying Henry because he’s good at sex, Richard’s amusement overrides his concern. The severity of Richard’s alcoholism changes throughout the novel, but he’s propelled toward sobriety when Henry brings Clare into the family and later when Alba is born. By the end of the novel, Henry and Richard’s relationship is largely repaired, and Richard acts as a supportive, present father and grandfather.

Richard DeTamble Quotes in The Time Traveler’s Wife

The The Time Traveler’s Wife quotes below are all either spoken by Richard DeTamble or refer to Richard DeTamble. 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:

“My mother dying…it’s the pivotal thing…everything else goes around and around it…I dream about it, and I also—time travel to it. Over and over. […] if you had enough time to really look at everything, you would see me. I am in cars, behind bushes, on the bridge, in a tree. I have seen it from every angle, and I am even a participant in the aftermath: I call the airport from a nearby gas station to page my father with the message to come immediately to the hospital. I sat in the hospital waiting room and watched my father walk through on his way to find me. […] I walked along the shoulder of the road, waiting for my young self to appear, and I put a blanket around my thin child’s shoulders.”

Related Characters: Henry DeTamble (speaker), Annette Lyn Robinson, Richard DeTamble, Clare Abshire

Page Number and Citation: 112

Explanation and Analysis:

“You were very lucky.”

He smiles, still shielding his face in his hands. “Well, we were and we weren’t. One minute we had everything we could dream of, and the next minute she was in pieces on the expressway.” Henry winces.

“But don’t you think,” I persist, “that it’s better to be extremely happy for a short while, even if you lose it, than to be just okay for your whole life?”

[…] “I’ve often wondered about that. Do you believe that?”

I think about my childhood, all the waiting, and wondering, and the joy of seeing Henry walking through the Meadow after now seeing him for weeks, months […] “Yes,” I say, “I do.”

Mr. DeTamble nods. “Henry has chosen well.”

Related Characters: Richard DeTamble (speaker), Clare Abshire (speaker), Henry DeTamble, Annette Lyn Robinson

Page Number and Citation: 235

Explanation and Analysis:

Richard DeTamble Character Timeline in The Time Traveler’s Wife

The timeline below shows where the character Richard DeTamble appears in The Time Traveler’s Wife. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...mother died in a fatal car crash. Henry now tells her more about his parents, Richard DeTamble and Annette Lyn Robinson. His father is a violinist and living, while his mother... (full context)

...the chair so he can tell her about Annette. He tells her about her and Richard’s happy marriage and successful music careers, which allowed them to travel the world. Henry explains... (full context)

...been the one to find himself on the road, to phone the airport to inform Richard, and to wait with his young self in the hospital. Henry begins to cry then... (full context)

...(Henry is 25). Henry finds himself alone on the anniversary of Annette’s death. He and Richard mutually avoid seeing each other on this day, Kimy is out of the country visiting... (full context)

...knows all the secrets in his family, but Clare reminds him that she hasn’t met Richard yet. (full context)

...children making him look perfect in front of his friends. Henry responds that he and Richard haven’t gotten along well either, not since Annette’s death. He believes that his resembling his... (full context)

Saturday, May 9, 1992 (Henry is 28). Henry takes the subway to his father Richard’s apartment. Richard won’t answer the door, but Kimy immediately comes from her apartment to greet... (full context)

Henry uses Kimy’s master key to let himself into his Richard’s flat, which is in horrible disarray. Richard sits at the dining table and refuses to... (full context)

Richard refuses, so Henry announces he’s going to get married and wants Annette’s engagement and wedding... (full context)

...1992 (Clare is 21, Henry is 28). After becoming engaged, Henry takes Clare to meet Richard and Kimy. Kimy greets Clare warmly and exclaims at her beauty. Meeting Richard is more... (full context)

Clare tells Richard he was lucky to have Annette, and he asks her if she believes it’s better... (full context)

...30, Clare is 22). (6:00 a.m.). Henry wakes in a bed and breakfast in town. Richard, Henry’s grandparents, and Kimy are staying in the inn’s other rooms. It is raining heavily,... (full context)

...for the ceremony at 2:00 p.m. He gets dressed and heads downstairs, where he finds Richard drinking coffee. Henry pours himself a mug as well. As Henry drinks his coffee, he... (full context)

...about Clare, and Alba responds that she’s fine but misses him. Henry also learns that Richard has been teaching Alba to play the violin and that Alba has traveled to see... (full context)

...old elementary school on a random winter night. They agree that everything worked out okay. Richard arrives shortly after to meet his granddaughter. He tells Clare and Henry that Alba looks... (full context)

...watches Alba. Alba is insisting on seeing Clare instead when Henry begins to feel ill. Richard, seeing Henry’s face, comes over to take Alba from him. After Henry disappears, Richard takes... (full context)

...Clare and Henry reemerge from their bedroom dressed as guests begin to arrive. Kimy and Richard are first to come in from the snowstorm outside. As Henry greets his father, he... (full context)

...to play. Alicia then finds Clare and points out Philip’s flirtation with Henry’s coworker, Isabelle. Richard approaches them as they break down in a fit of laughter. He and Alicia leave... (full context)

...fully again. He recounts the way his mother Annette’s death ate away at his father Richard’s happiness. Henry tells Clare that he knows “absence can be present, like a damaged nerve,... (full context)

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Richard DeTamble Character Analysis

Richard DeTamble Quotes in The Time Traveler’s Wife

Chapter 6 Quotes

Chapter 11 Quotes

Richard DeTamble Character Timeline in The Time Traveler’s Wife