This Side of Paradise Character Analysis

Amory Blaine

Amory Blaine is the protagonist of This Side of Paradise. Born to parents Beatrice and Stephen Blaine, Amory spends most of his childhood traveling around Europe and the United States with Beatrice. When… read analysis of Amory Blaine

Beatrice Blaine

Beatrice Blaine is Amory’s mother. Born Beatrice O’Hara, she grows up traveling around Europe and learning about art and culture. She has a love affair with Monsignor Darcy but declines to marry him because… read analysis of Beatrice Blaine

Rosalind Connage

Rosalind Connage, the younger sister of Alec Connage, has a brief but passionate love affair with Amory that leaves him devastated for the rest of the novel. The two meet at Rosalind’s debutante ball… read analysis of Rosalind Connage

Monsignor Darcy

Monsignor Darcy is a Catholic priest who lives in upstate New York. He is close mentor to Amory. Monsignor Darcy had had a passionate love affair with Beatrice before she decided to marry Stephen… read analysis of Monsignor Darcy

Thomas Parke D’Invilliers (Tom)

Thomas Parke D’Invilliers (Tom) is a close friend of Amory’s at Princeton. Later, Tom, Amory, and Alec Connage live together in New York. Amory is first introduced to Tom by his poetry, published in… read analysis of Thomas Parke D’Invilliers (Tom)

Burne Holiday

Burne Holiday is a close friend of Amory’s at Princeton and the younger brother of Kerry Holiday. While Amory is initially closer with Kerry, Amory and Burne develop an intimate friendship during their… read analysis of Burne Holiday

Isabelle Borgé

Isabelle Borgé is Amory’s first love. Isabelle is beautiful, sophisticated, and charming, and she has a reputation for being flirtatious and kissing men. Isabelle and Amory are mutually infatuated when they first meet, and… read analysis of Isabelle Borgé

Eleanor Savage

Eleanor Savage is a woman with whom Amory falls in love during a summer trip to Maryland after the war. Eleanor lives with her grandfather in the countryside. She was born and raised in France… read analysis of Eleanor Savage

Clara Page

Clara Page is an impoverished, widowed cousin of Amory’s whom Monsignor Darcy urges Amory to visit in Philadelphia. Amory eventually falls in love with her. Unlike Amory’s other loves, Clara is virtuous, kind, and… read analysis of Clara Page

Dick Humbird

Dick Humbird is a classmate and friend of Amory’s at Princeton. Dick comes to Princeton from St. Paul’s, another elite New England prep school, and Amory initially desires his friendship. Amory tries to model… read analysis of Dick Humbird

Kerry Holiday

Kerry Holiday is Amory’s first friend at Princeton; they live in the same house during Amory’s freshman year. Kerry is also Burne’s older brother. Kerry and Amory bond over their initial frustrations with… read analysis of Kerry Holiday

Alec Connage

Alec Connage is a friend of Amory’s at Princeton. Later on, Alec, Tom, and Amory live together in New York. Alec is also the brother of Rosalind and Cecilia. He disapproves of… read analysis of Alec Connage

Stephen Blaine

Stephen Blaine is Amory’s father. He’s described as “an ineffectual, inarticulate man.” Growing up, Amory is much closer with his mother, Beatrice. Amory is rather emotionless when Stephen dies. Stephen gained his money… read analysis of Stephen Blaine

Minor Characters

Jesse Ferrenby

Jesse Ferrenby is a friend of Amory’s at Princeton. Jesse competes with Amory to be on the board of the Daily Princetonian. Jesse is a passenger in the car crash that kills Dick. Jesse later dies in the war.

Fred Sloane

Fred Sloane is a friend of Amory’s at Princeton. He’s with Amory when Amory thinks he sees a devil. Fred, along with Jesse, is a passenger in the car crash that kills Dick.

Dawson Ryder

Dawson Ryder is an unremarkable but wealthy bachelor who is Amory’s rival for Rosalind’s affection. Rosalind eventually ends her relationship with Amory and decides to marry Dawson instead. Dawson convinces Rosalind that she will grow to love him.

Myra St. Claire

Myra St. Clair is the first girl Amory kisses, at a bob-sledding party in Minneapolis. Myra gives Amory his first experience of being disappointed and fickle about love: after they kiss, Amory feels disgusted by her and does not want to kiss her again, hurting her feelings.

Frog Parker

Frog Parker is Amory’s friend from Minneapolis. Amory competes with Frog for girls’ attention and worries what Frog thinks of him.

Rahill

Rahill is one of Amory’s few friends in his final year at St. Regis. Amory considers him a “co-philosopher.” Rahill is their class president. Rahill and Amory invent the concept of “the slicker.”

Sally Weatherby

Sally Weatherby is one of Amory’s friends and crushes from his time in Minneapolis. She writes him letters while he’s at Princeton. She’s also Isabelle’s cousin and introduces Isabelle to Amory.

Mrs. Connage

Mrs. Connage is Alec, Rosalind, and Cecilia’s mother. She disapproves of Amory because of his poverty and persuades Rosalind to marry Dawson Ryder instead.

Mrs. Lawrence

Mrs. Lawrence is a friend of Monsignor Darcy’s with whom Amory becomes acquainted. Spending time with her makes Amory more hopeful about his life and future.

Jill Wayne

Jill Wayne is Alec’s romantic companion. Amory, Jill, and Alec are in an Atlantic City hotel room together when detectives approach the room, trying to catch an unmarried couple having sex with each other. Amory takes the blame for breaking the law.

Mr. Ferrenby

Mr. Ferrenby is Jesse’s father. At the end of the novel, Mr. Ferrenby offers Amory a ride to Princeton when he spots Amory attempting to get there on foot. They disagree about politics but wish each other well due to their mutual connection.

Mr. Barton

Mr. Barton is the Blaine family’s lawyer. He sends Amory bad news about the state of his family’s finances, especially regarding their investments and the Lake Geneva Estate, after Beatrice and Stephen’s deaths.

Howard Gillespie

Howard Gillespie is one of Rosalind’s wealthy suitors whom she rejects.

Cecilia Connage

Cecilia Connage is Alec and Rosalind’s sister.