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The Goldfinch

 The Goldfinch
type
TVTItem
 The Goldfinch
label
The Goldfinch
 The Goldfinch
page
TheGoldfinch
 The Goldfinch
comment
The Goldfinch is a Pulitzer Prize-winning 2013 novel by Donna Tartt, the author of The Secret History. Like The Secret History, The Goldfinch is an introspective, confessional neo-romanticist novel that focuses on aesthetic beauty, guilt, and the inner thoughts of the protagonist against a troubled situation filled with strikingly picaresque secondary characters.When young Theo Decker's mother is killed by Western Terrorists in an attack on a New York art museum, Theo finds himself moving between a variety of guardians, including his mother's wealthy but emotionally distant friends and an abusive father with a gambling compulsion. All the while Theo makes a number of quirky and unusual friends, including a charming old antiques craftsman Hobie, an irreverent and anti-intellectual globe-trotting European druggie named Boris, and his true love Pippa - every bit as broken and confused as himself. Just as he makes unusual, morally dubious friends, Theo faces challenges to his well-being from a number of equally quirky and morally complex antagonists, including Bobo Silver, a soft-spoken but intimidating and flamboyantly-dressed Loan Shark, and Lucius Reeve, a mysterious and manipulative blackmailer tracking Theo's movements. As Theo, perpetually traumatized and always deep in his own thoughts, moves between one amoral and dangerous situation after the other, one overlying current defines his life: the stolen painting of a goldfinch that Theo carries with him from the museum where his mother was killed, and his fear of being caught.A film adaptation was released in 2019.
 The Goldfinch
fetched
2024-02-08T19:01:19Z
 The Goldfinch
parsed
2024-02-08T19:01:19Z
 The Goldfinch
processingComment
Dropped link to DoorStopper: Not a Feature - ITEM
 The Goldfinch
processingComment
Dropped link to HarryPotter: Not a Feature - ITEM
 The Goldfinch
processingComment
Dropped link to TheSecretHistory: Not a Feature - ITEM
 The Goldfinch
isPartOf
DBTropes
 The Goldfinch / int_11630eaa
type
The Gambling Addict
 The Goldfinch / int_11630eaa
comment
The Gambling Addict: Theo's father fancies himself a big-shot gambler, but he's heavily in debt and convinced that his next shot will take him all the way.
 The Goldfinch / int_11630eaa
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_11630eaa
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1.0
 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_11630eaa
 The Goldfinch / int_130436b9
type
Annoying Younger Sibling
 The Goldfinch / int_130436b9
comment
Annoying Younger Sibling: Well, adoptive sibling. Toddy and Kitsey both have some of this while Theo is living with the Barbour's.
 The Goldfinch / int_130436b9
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_130436b9
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The Goldfinch / int_130436b9
 The Goldfinch / int_13e1c444
type
Plot-Triggering Death
 The Goldfinch / int_13e1c444
comment
Plot-Triggering Death: Two for the price of one with Audrey Decker and Welty Blackwell in the opening chapter.
 The Goldfinch / int_13e1c444
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 The Goldfinch / int_13e1c444
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The Goldfinch / int_13e1c444
 The Goldfinch / int_1439161f
type
Heroic BSoD
 The Goldfinch / int_1439161f
comment
Heroic BSoD: Theo at several points in the story, especially in Amsterdam.
 The Goldfinch / int_1439161f
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_1439161f
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_1439161f
 The Goldfinch / int_19fd589b
type
Deadly Road Trip
 The Goldfinch / int_19fd589b
comment
Deadly Road Trip: There is a section of the book involving a trip to Amsterdam where Martin tries to kill Theo and Boris, and is killed himself instead.
 The Goldfinch / int_19fd589b
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_19fd589b
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The Goldfinch / int_19fd589b
 The Goldfinch / int_1b65dfad
type
The Cameo
 The Goldfinch / int_1b65dfad
comment
The Cameo: Francis Abernathy from The Secret History.
 The Goldfinch / int_1b65dfad
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 The Goldfinch / int_1b65dfad
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_1b65dfad
 The Goldfinch / int_1d2400e9
type
Green-Eyed Monster
 The Goldfinch / int_1d2400e9
comment
Green-Eyed Monster: Theo is intensely jealous of Pippa's boyfriend. A teenage Theo bitterly resents that Boris, with whom he has been inseparable and even had sex with, takes up with Kotku.
 The Goldfinch / int_1d2400e9
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 The Goldfinch / int_1d2400e9
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The Goldfinch / int_1d2400e9
 The Goldfinch / int_220c23cb
type
Condescending Compassion
 The Goldfinch / int_220c23cb
comment
Condescending Compassion: Toddy, after the Barbours reconnect with Theo. He mentions how Theo living with them for a while inspired him to try and help out "disadvantaged" children.
 The Goldfinch / int_220c23cb
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 The Goldfinch / int_220c23cb
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_220c23cb
 The Goldfinch / int_25bc8511
type
Generation Xerox
 The Goldfinch / int_25bc8511
comment
Generation Xerox: Both Larry and Theo get mixed up in crime, have massive substance abuse problems, cheat on their partners (Theo cheats emotionally) and both go through life with a broken moral compass.
 The Goldfinch / int_25bc8511
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 The Goldfinch / int_25bc8511
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The Goldfinch / int_25bc8511
 The Goldfinch / int_29d4ec8a
type
British Teeth
 The Goldfinch / int_29d4ec8a
comment
British Teeth: Theo notes that Boris, who has lived all around the world, has grey, crooked and "un-American" teeth. In adulthood, Boris has received a new set of pearly white, very American choppers.
 The Goldfinch / int_29d4ec8a
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 The Goldfinch / int_29d4ec8a
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The Goldfinch / int_29d4ec8a
 The Goldfinch / int_36c64123
type
Gentle Giant
 The Goldfinch / int_36c64123
comment
Gentle Giant: Hobie is frequently described as a giant of a man. He has a sedate, kind and almost meek personality, preferring quiet meals with close friends and working in his shop.
 The Goldfinch / int_36c64123
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_36c64123
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The Goldfinch / int_36c64123
 The Goldfinch / int_3dcc914f
type
Took a Level in Kindness
 The Goldfinch / int_3dcc914f
comment
Took a Level in Kindness: Platt after the time skip.
 The Goldfinch / int_3dcc914f
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 The Goldfinch / int_3dcc914f
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_3dcc914f
 The Goldfinch / int_421ae215
type
Mysterious Past
 The Goldfinch / int_421ae215
comment
Mysterious Past: It's never made explicitly clear what Boris' family's background involves (other than them being laborers), but it may or may not be savory.
 The Goldfinch / int_421ae215
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 The Goldfinch / int_421ae215
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The Goldfinch / int_421ae215
 The Goldfinch / int_43dc74d0
type
Sensitive Guy and Manly Man
 The Goldfinch / int_43dc74d0
comment
Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Sensitive Theo to the more impulsive and assertive Boris.
 The Goldfinch / int_43dc74d0
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_43dc74d0
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The Goldfinch / int_43dc74d0
 The Goldfinch / int_46290b93
type
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
 The Goldfinch / int_46290b93
comment
Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Subverted by Pippa, who is quirky and just as damaged as Theo. He's hopelessly in love with her, and a relationship with her just might finally make Theo happy, but she's hardly ever around and never becomes romantically involved in him, though the future remains open.
 The Goldfinch / int_46290b93
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 The Goldfinch / int_46290b93
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The Goldfinch / int_46290b93
 The Goldfinch / int_47e0dd3b
type
Cool People Rebel Against Authority
 The Goldfinch / int_47e0dd3b
comment
Cool People Rebel Against Authority: Part of Boris' appeal to both Theo and the reader - he pays little attention to teachers in school, filling his homework assignments with snarky quips. He later shows more interest in pursuing gratification in the criminal underworld than pursuing any socially accepted or legally legitimate goals.
 The Goldfinch / int_47e0dd3b
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 The Goldfinch / int_47e0dd3b
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The Goldfinch / int_47e0dd3b
 The Goldfinch / int_4864031b
type
Informed Attractiveness
 The Goldfinch / int_4864031b
comment
Informed Attractiveness: Theo spends some time talking about how attractive his parents were. Kitsey is described as flawlessly beautiful by several characters. Pippa is described as pretty, but not as classically attractive as Kitsey
 The Goldfinch / int_4864031b
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_4864031b
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The Goldfinch / int_4864031b
 The Goldfinch / int_48c8fcbc
type
Kosher Nostra
 The Goldfinch / int_48c8fcbc
comment
Kosher Nostra: Theo's father owes money to a Jewish loan shark who dresses like a cowboy.
 The Goldfinch / int_48c8fcbc
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_48c8fcbc
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The Goldfinch / int_48c8fcbc
 The Goldfinch / int_537dd8fe
type
Affably Evil
 The Goldfinch / int_537dd8fe
comment
Affably Evil: Mr. Silver - despite his profession and threats to Larry's life, he is consistently and sincerely praised by both Larry and Boris for being a great guy.
 The Goldfinch / int_537dd8fe
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_537dd8fe
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_537dd8fe
 The Goldfinch / int_596f675a
type
Smoking Is Cool
 The Goldfinch / int_596f675a
comment
Smoking Is Cool: Boris exemplifies this trope.
 The Goldfinch / int_596f675a
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_596f675a
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The Goldfinch / int_596f675a
 The Goldfinch / int_5cd6010b
type
Turn Out Like His Father
 The Goldfinch / int_5cd6010b
comment
Turn Out Like His Father: Theo comes to closely resemble his hated crook of a father in looks and behaviour, but he ends the story a fundamentally better man.
 The Goldfinch / int_5cd6010b
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_5cd6010b
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The Goldfinch / int_5cd6010b
 The Goldfinch / int_5d41eb9
type
Figure It Out Yourself
 The Goldfinch / int_5d41eb9
comment
Figure It Out Yourself: A rare Tear Jerker example when the protagonist finally reunites with his beloved deceased mother in a dream:
 The Goldfinch / int_5d41eb9
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 The Goldfinch / int_5d41eb9
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_5d41eb9
 The Goldfinch / int_5d576f8c
type
Death Is Such an Odd Thing
 The Goldfinch / int_5d576f8c
comment
Death Is Such an Odd Thing: Theo's reaction to the death of his mother.
 The Goldfinch / int_5d576f8c
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_5d576f8c
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_5d576f8c
 The Goldfinch / int_5fcb9ad1
type
Time Skip
 The Goldfinch / int_5fcb9ad1
comment
Time Skip: After following Theo's life very closely from the ages of 13-16, then the story jumps about eight years.
 The Goldfinch / int_5fcb9ad1
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_5fcb9ad1
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The Goldfinch / int_5fcb9ad1
 The Goldfinch / int_6f0fd7b8
type
Everyone Loves Blondes
 The Goldfinch / int_6f0fd7b8
comment
Everyone Loves Blondes: Kitsey is admired as extremely beautiful and has platinum blonde hair.
 The Goldfinch / int_6f0fd7b8
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_6f0fd7b8
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The Goldfinch / int_6f0fd7b8
 The Goldfinch / int_71e8a5c5
type
Trauma Conga Line
 The Goldfinch / int_71e8a5c5
comment
Trauma Conga Line: Theo, so very much.
 The Goldfinch / int_71e8a5c5
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 The Goldfinch / int_71e8a5c5
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The Goldfinch / int_71e8a5c5
 The Goldfinch / int_77e45bb5
type
Why Did You Make Me Hit You?
 The Goldfinch / int_77e45bb5
comment
Why Did You Make Me Hit You?: Boris makes this excuse to Theo after Boris's girlfriend comes to school with a fat lip.
 The Goldfinch / int_77e45bb5
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_77e45bb5
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_77e45bb5
 The Goldfinch / int_7aa228ff
type
White Guilt
 The Goldfinch / int_7aa228ff
comment
White Guilt: Theo briefly muses that his slot at an early college high school program, which he does not seriously invest time or thought in, would be better suited for a lower-income minority student more intelligent or talented than he is.
 The Goldfinch / int_7aa228ff
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_7aa228ff
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The Goldfinch / int_7aa228ff
 The Goldfinch / int_7c9dcc1
type
THeUnfavorite
 The Goldfinch / int_7c9dcc1
comment
The Unfavorite: Andy Barbour is the odd man out in his family. Interestingly, his mother claims he is her favorite after his death.
 The Goldfinch / int_7c9dcc1
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_7c9dcc1
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The Goldfinch / int_7c9dcc1
 The Goldfinch / int_7eebe99c
type
The Alcoholic
 The Goldfinch / int_7eebe99c
comment
The Alcoholic: Larry Decker, Boris's father, and Boris himself all have pretty serious drinking problems.
 The Goldfinch / int_7eebe99c
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_7eebe99c
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_7eebe99c
 The Goldfinch / int_7f1be21
type
Functional Addict
 The Goldfinch / int_7f1be21
comment
Functional Addict: Theo as an adult has a pill addiction, but still manages to keep his life together, or at least look like he does.
 The Goldfinch / int_7f1be21
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_7f1be21
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_7f1be21
 The Goldfinch / int_7fbe9a30
type
Freak Out
 The Goldfinch / int_7fbe9a30
comment
Freak Out: Theo's sense of guilt and fear of being caught clash with his fondness for the stolen painting
 The Goldfinch / int_7fbe9a30
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_7fbe9a30
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 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_7fbe9a30
 The Goldfinch / int_80b5924
type
Left Hanging
 The Goldfinch / int_80b5924
comment
Left Hanging: The identity and motivations of the group who destroyed the museum are never revealed, and numerous potential plot threads and background details alluded to by Lucius Reeve are left in the dark.
 The Goldfinch / int_80b5924
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 The Goldfinch / int_80b5924
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hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_80b5924
 The Goldfinch / int_83a903f6
type
Stepford Smiler
 The Goldfinch / int_83a903f6
comment
Stepford Smiler: Kitsey, of the depressed variety. Behind the appealing, enthusiastic facade is a deeply unhappy young woman who blames herself for the deaths of her father and brother.
 The Goldfinch / int_83a903f6
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_83a903f6
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1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_83a903f6
 The Goldfinch / int_848153ef
type
Viva Las Vegas!
 The Goldfinch / int_848153ef
comment
Viva Las Vegas!: Theo's father Larry moved to Las Vegas after his divorce to become a professional gambler. He lives in a derelict McMansion and is heavily in debt to local thugs.
 The Goldfinch / int_848153ef
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_848153ef
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 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_848153ef
 The Goldfinch / int_863c780a
type
Hopeless Suitor
 The Goldfinch / int_863c780a
comment
Hopeless Suitor: Theo is hopelessly in love with Pippa, but she doesn't give him the slightest bit of encouragement. In the end it's revealed that she does love him, but thinks that a relationship between them could be disastrous. It's left open whether they do decide to get together.
 The Goldfinch / int_863c780a
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 The Goldfinch / int_863c780a
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_863c780a
 The Goldfinch / int_887da4ea
type
Died Happily Ever After
 The Goldfinch / int_887da4ea
comment
Died Happily Ever After: Heavily implied with Theo's mother, in his vision of her in the mirror.
 The Goldfinch / int_887da4ea
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_887da4ea
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 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_887da4ea
 The Goldfinch / int_88933ad4
type
Parental Favoritism
 The Goldfinch / int_88933ad4
comment
Parental Favoritism: The Barbours each have a favorite child of their four.
 The Goldfinch / int_88933ad4
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_88933ad4
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_88933ad4
 The Goldfinch / int_89434320
type
Protagonist-Centered Morality
 The Goldfinch / int_89434320
comment
Protagonist-Centered Morality: A lot of the things Theo and Boris get up to over the course of the novel are pretty reprehensible (e.g. Boris stealing the painting from Theo, Theo passing off the Chimeras as legitimate knowing full-well it would ruin Hobie's credibility if discovered) but when these things come to light, no one is particularly bothered by them in the long term. Boris even speculates that if they hadn't done some of these bad things, later good things would never have happened.
 The Goldfinch / int_89434320
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 The Goldfinch / int_89434320
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The Goldfinch / int_89434320
 The Goldfinch / int_8afadb7e
type
Department of Child Disservices
 The Goldfinch / int_8afadb7e
comment
Department of Child Disservices: Theo's social workers in New York after his mother's death are distant and incompetent.
 The Goldfinch / int_8afadb7e
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_8afadb7e
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The Goldfinch / int_8afadb7e
 The Goldfinch / int_8b68d9a7
type
Stalker with a Crush
 The Goldfinch / int_8b68d9a7
comment
Stalker with a Crush: Theo is this for Pippa, going as far as to keep a few strands of her hair that he found in the shower. He yearns to know everything about her life, and sees his relationship with Pippa in a way that is divorced with reality. The book lampshades this, and so does Theo in his rare moments of lucidity regarding his behaviour.
 The Goldfinch / int_8b68d9a7
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 The Goldfinch / int_8b68d9a7
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The Goldfinch / int_8b68d9a7
 The Goldfinch / int_916c72b3
type
Rule of Symbolism
 The Goldfinch / int_916c72b3
comment
Rule of Symbolism: At the engagement party, Theo's fiancée Kitsey wears white (and is compared to a snowflake by Boris), whereas Pippa, the woman he really loves, is in warm colours (green dress and red hair).
 The Goldfinch / int_916c72b3
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 The Goldfinch / int_916c72b3
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The Goldfinch / int_916c72b3
 The Goldfinch / int_95b7c400
type
Faux Affably Evil
 The Goldfinch / int_95b7c400
comment
Faux Affably Evil: Lucius Reeve gives the impression (sometimes) of being affable but it is very clearly all on the surface.
 The Goldfinch / int_95b7c400
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 The Goldfinch / int_95b7c400
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 The Goldfinch
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The Goldfinch / int_95b7c400
 The Goldfinch / int_97b4c1fd
type
Cut Himself Shaving
 The Goldfinch / int_97b4c1fd
comment
Cut Himself Shaving: Boris has become an expert at inventing cover stories for the bruises his father leaves on him.
 The Goldfinch / int_97b4c1fd
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 The Goldfinch / int_97b4c1fd
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The Goldfinch / int_97b4c1fd
 The Goldfinch / int_9d12bbc1
type
Foreshadowing
 The Goldfinch / int_9d12bbc1
comment
Foreshadowing: Andy Barbour hates coming along on his father's sailing trips. Guess how he dies. Lampshaded when, after his death, Theo sees a photograph of Andy and his father standing by a boat model under unlit lamps and a clock showing five to twelve, and realises how intensely foreboding it looks.
 The Goldfinch / int_9d12bbc1
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 The Goldfinch / int_9d12bbc1
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The Goldfinch / int_9d12bbc1
 The Goldfinch / int_9d3f4777
type
My Nayme Is
 The Goldfinch / int_9d3f4777
comment
My Nayme Is: It's "Xandra," not "Sandra." Theo finally discovers that her legal name is actually still Sandra. Inverted with Boris: as a Ukrainian, his name should technically be transliterated "Borys," but he explains that he goes with the Russian transliteration with an I, as being more familiar in the USA.
 The Goldfinch / int_9d3f4777
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 The Goldfinch / int_9d3f4777
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The Goldfinch / int_9d3f4777
 The Goldfinch / int_a2484b0e
type
The Beautiful Elite
 The Goldfinch / int_a2484b0e
comment
The Beautiful Elite: The Barbours are a wealthy, elite and beautiful family.
 The Goldfinch / int_a2484b0e
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_a2484b0e
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 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_a2484b0e
 The Goldfinch / int_a7016efe
type
Lonely Rich Kid
 The Goldfinch / int_a7016efe
comment
Lonely Rich Kid: Andy Barbour is very much this - the Barbours are obviously very rich and Andy doesn't really have friends other than Theo.
 The Goldfinch / int_a7016efe
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1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_a7016efe
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hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_a7016efe
 The Goldfinch / int_a70223
type
Karma Houdini
 The Goldfinch / int_a70223
comment
Karma Houdini: Theo stole the painting as a child, and as an adult he is involved in an elaborate forgery scheme that could ruin the man who took him in as a Troubled Teen, and even eventually kills someone. Despite all this, things mostly work out for him: he's able to get off scot-free for both the murder and stealing the painting after turning in someone else, and pays off his debts from the forgery scam with the reward money.
 The Goldfinch / int_a70223
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_a70223
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_a70223
 The Goldfinch / int_a7850fbf
type
Only Known by Their Nickname
 The Goldfinch / int_a7850fbf
comment
Only Known by Their Nickname: Theo refers to Boris' girlfriend by Boris' nickname for her, Kotku, because at the time of writing he can't remember her real name.
 The Goldfinch / int_a7850fbf
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_a7850fbf
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_a7850fbf
 The Goldfinch / int_a86069f
type
Alternate History
 The Goldfinch / int_a86069f
comment
Alternate History: The War on Terror includes the terrorist bombing of the museum but doesn't include the 9/11 attacks. 9/11 still happens in universe though; Theo mentions it when discussing the penalties for art theft.
 The Goldfinch / int_a86069f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_a86069f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_a86069f
 The Goldfinch / int_a8dcb1d7
type
Love at First Sight
 The Goldfinch / int_a8dcb1d7
comment
Love at First Sight: Theo for Pippa.
 The Goldfinch / int_a8dcb1d7
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_a8dcb1d7
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_a8dcb1d7
 The Goldfinch / int_abc55125
type
Character Filibuster
 The Goldfinch / int_abc55125
comment
Character Filibuster: Hobie has a huge one about art in the last chapter after Theo confesses his secrets.
 The Goldfinch / int_abc55125
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_abc55125
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_abc55125
 The Goldfinch / int_ac09dc0f
type
Alas, Poor Villain
 The Goldfinch / int_ac09dc0f
comment
Alas, Poor Villain: Theo manages to feel pity for his father after it's all said and done.
 The Goldfinch / int_ac09dc0f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_ac09dc0f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_ac09dc0f
 The Goldfinch / int_af696bef
type
Fish out of Water
 The Goldfinch / int_af696bef
comment
Fish out of Water: Theo attends an early college program for high school students, but due to his unusual life situations and untamed personality barely earns his degree and shows nowhere near the level of interest or ambition as his classmates.
 The Goldfinch / int_af696bef
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_af696bef
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_af696bef
 The Goldfinch / int_afd181c7
type
Xtreme Kool Letterz
 The Goldfinch / int_afd181c7
comment
Xtreme Kool Letterz: Xandra (not "Sandra") spells her name with an X in a rather silly attempt to be edgy.
 The Goldfinch / int_afd181c7
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_afd181c7
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_afd181c7
 The Goldfinch / int_b11ac9f5
type
Abusive Parents
 The Goldfinch / int_b11ac9f5
comment
Abusive Parents: Theo's father, and Boris' family as well. Theo's father is neglectful and abandons him and his mother. Boris' father is physically abusive.
 The Goldfinch / int_b11ac9f5
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_b11ac9f5
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_b11ac9f5
 The Goldfinch / int_b2176eb6
type
Now or Never Kiss
 The Goldfinch / int_b2176eb6
comment
Now or Never Kiss: Boris and Theo right before the latter returns to New York.
 The Goldfinch / int_b2176eb6
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_b2176eb6
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_b2176eb6
 The Goldfinch / int_b97c2cfb
type
Maybe Ever After
 The Goldfinch / int_b97c2cfb
comment
Maybe Ever After: Theo and Pippa.
 The Goldfinch / int_b97c2cfb
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_b97c2cfb
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_b97c2cfb
 The Goldfinch / int_b9db28ab
type
Emotionless Girl
 The Goldfinch / int_b9db28ab
comment
Emotionless Girl: Mrs Barbour is an adult example. She never seems to express any emotion and always has a detached and proper demeanor. However, she becomes more emotional after her husband dies.
 The Goldfinch / int_b9db28ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_b9db28ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_b9db28ab
 The Goldfinch / int_ba0791de
type
First Girl Wins
 The Goldfinch / int_ba0791de
comment
First Girl Wins: Played with. Theo falls instantly in love with Pippa at the age of 13, but they never get romantically linked. In the end, we don't learn whether he'll end up with her.
 The Goldfinch / int_ba0791de
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_ba0791de
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_ba0791de
 The Goldfinch / int_bd0230fb
type
Ambiguously Bi
 The Goldfinch / int_bd0230fb
comment
Ambiguously Bi: As per usual in Tartt's books. Theo and Boris experiment sexually as teens, and Theo admits to himself that he loves Boris. When they meet again as adults however, Boris is quick to deny that he is anything other than straight, and that he used Theo as a substitute for girls. The truth of this is... debatable.
 The Goldfinch / int_bd0230fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_bd0230fb
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_bd0230fb
 The Goldfinch / int_bd406737
type
Anxiety Dreams
 The Goldfinch / int_bd406737
comment
Anxiety Dreams: A near-constant problem for Theo.
 The Goldfinch / int_bd406737
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_bd406737
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_bd406737
 The Goldfinch / int_beb932ca
type
Big Applesauce
 The Goldfinch / int_beb932ca
comment
Big Applesauce: Most of the action takes place in Manhattan. Theo writes that until age 13 he had only been outside of New York City for 8 days.
 The Goldfinch / int_beb932ca
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_beb932ca
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_beb932ca
 The Goldfinch / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 The Goldfinch / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: Theo drops the names of a wide range of shows, books, authors, and films that he enjoys. Boris refers to Theo by the affectionate nickname "Potter", because of his apparent similarity to a certain teen wizard. The Goldfinch is a real painting and takes a central role in the plot. At one of Hobie's dinners and at Theo's engagement party to Kitsey, one of the guests is Francis Abernathy from Tartt's previous book The Secret History.
 The Goldfinch / int_c75df49a
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_c75df49a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_c75df49a
 The Goldfinch / int_c868a42a
type
Freudian Excuse
 The Goldfinch / int_c868a42a
comment
Freudian Excuse: The story follows Theo through his youth with all its nasty events (the terrorist attack, his mom's death, his separation from people he loves like Hobie and Boris, his father's attempt at robbing him and death, and the death of Andy), which makes the reader more predisposed to feel sorry for him when he grows up to do quite a few bad or shady things (drug addiction, selling forgeries, stalking Pippa even though she is in a relationship with someone else).
 The Goldfinch / int_c868a42a
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_c868a42a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_c868a42a
 The Goldfinch / int_cdad4b25
type
Toxic Friend Influence
 The Goldfinch / int_cdad4b25
comment
Toxic Friend Influence: Played with. Boris leads Theo into a number of self destructive lifestyle habits and eventually a potentially fatal situation, but is also the one person who genuinely treats Theo the best in the entire book.
 The Goldfinch / int_cdad4b25
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_cdad4b25
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_cdad4b25
 The Goldfinch / int_d013cd12
type
Lovable Rogue
 The Goldfinch / int_d013cd12
comment
Lovable Rogue: Boris all the way.
 The Goldfinch / int_d013cd12
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_d013cd12
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_d013cd12
 The Goldfinch / int_d08595d3
type
Broken Bird
 The Goldfinch / int_d08595d3
comment
Broken Bird: Theo and Pippa. In Theo's case, it leads to his becoming more introspective and focused on beauty, but also - not unrelatedly- more likely to find himself in harm's way.
 The Goldfinch / int_d08595d3
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_d08595d3
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_d08595d3
 The Goldfinch / int_d13eb235
type
Occidental Otaku
 The Goldfinch / int_d13eb235
comment
Occidental Otaku: Reclusive young Andy Barbour's hobbies consist mostly of reading manga, which is stated as the reason he wants to learn Japanese.
 The Goldfinch / int_d13eb235
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_d13eb235
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_d13eb235
 The Goldfinch / int_d171a8c1
type
Evil Debt Collector
 The Goldfinch / int_d171a8c1
comment
Evil Debt Collector: Mr. Silver, who goes so far as to communicate threats to Larry through teenage Theo.
 The Goldfinch / int_d171a8c1
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_d171a8c1
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_d171a8c1
 The Goldfinch / int_d22a7df2
type
Troubled, but Cute
 The Goldfinch / int_d22a7df2
comment
Troubled, but Cute: Theo, among other characters.
 The Goldfinch / int_d22a7df2
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_d22a7df2
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_d22a7df2
 The Goldfinch / int_d49f90ea
type
Western Terrorists
 The Goldfinch / int_d49f90ea
comment
Western Terrorists: an attack by unnamed violent right-wing extremists is the impetus for the rest of the events in the novel. We never do find out much about who they are or what they want.
 The Goldfinch / int_d49f90ea
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_d49f90ea
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_d49f90ea
 The Goldfinch / int_db2f3581
type
All Girls Want Bad Boys
 The Goldfinch / int_db2f3581
comment
All Girls Want Bad Boys: Kitsey is in love with a deadbeat conman. Theo's father, an irresponsible gambler, is in a relationship with Xandra. Boris has a number of conquests to his name. Theo, something of a bad boy himself, also notes that he has no shortage of romantic opportunities.
 The Goldfinch / int_db2f3581
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_db2f3581
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_db2f3581
 The Goldfinch / int_dc26326
type
Two Decades Behind
 The Goldfinch / int_dc26326
comment
Two Decades Behind: The description of Theo's father Larry recalls '70s and '80s actors typecast in "bad boy" roles, such as Don Johnson or James Caan. Theo's narration describes him as a "relic" of that era. Fittingly, his risky, decadent lifestyle is rooted in the late 20th century and hasn't budged for a present that demands more resourcefulness and caution.
 The Goldfinch / int_dc26326
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_dc26326
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_dc26326
 The Goldfinch / int_dda99fa8
type
Despair Event Horizon
 The Goldfinch / int_dda99fa8
comment
Despair Event Horizon: Crossed by Theo's father after he is unsuccessful in obtaining Theo's educational fund to pay off his debts.
 The Goldfinch / int_dda99fa8
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_dda99fa8
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_dda99fa8
 The Goldfinch / int_de7b7cbf
type
Drugs Are Bad
 The Goldfinch / int_de7b7cbf
comment
Drugs Are Bad: Downplayed. Theo and Boris take quite a lot of drugs from their early teens and on. While it doesn't send them into a Afterschool Special-style tailspin of self-destruction, it still has a deleterious effect on their lives. In adulthood each is a different variant of Functional Addict - Theo is reliant on pharmaceutical opiates to manage his PTSD, and Boris by his own admission has been an alcoholic since the age of thirteen.
 The Goldfinch / int_de7b7cbf
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_de7b7cbf
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_de7b7cbf
 The Goldfinch / int_e30c7ae1
type
The Artful Dodger
 The Goldfinch / int_e30c7ae1
comment
The Artful Dodger: Boris to a "T." Upon meeting him, Hobie, who has heard about him from Theo, admits that he had literally been picturing him as the Trope Namer from Dickens' Oliver Twist.
 The Goldfinch / int_e30c7ae1
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_e30c7ae1
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_e30c7ae1
 The Goldfinch / int_e34400ab
type
Ambiguously Gay
 The Goldfinch / int_e34400ab
comment
Ambiguously Gay: Theo and Boris wonder if Hobie is gay, since he seems to have no love life. Theo isn't sure whether Hobie is discreetly involved with a woman or just very close friends.
 The Goldfinch / int_e34400ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_e34400ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_e34400ab
 The Goldfinch / int_e94ff7e2
type
Financial Abuse
 The Goldfinch / int_e94ff7e2
comment
Financial Abuse: Attempted when Theo's The Gambling Addict father Larry demands that he call the lawyer overseeing the trust fund that his late mother left him and asking for $65,000. The lawyer not only reveals that his father has been trying to get access to the money, but fortunately, that his mother decreed that the money not only be used solely for his education, but it be paid to the school directly
 The Goldfinch / int_e94ff7e2
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_e94ff7e2
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_e94ff7e2
 The Goldfinch / int_ea2e9f2d
type
No Ending
 The Goldfinch / int_ea2e9f2d
comment
No Ending: In the end, the painting issue is resolved and Theo talks about the lessons he's learned about life, love and beauty, but most other plotlines are unresolved: Does he end up with Kitsey or Pippa? Does he manage to smooth over the issue with the chimeras and Lucius Reeve?
 The Goldfinch / int_ea2e9f2d
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_ea2e9f2d
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_ea2e9f2d
 The Goldfinch / int_eb8ec7c8
type
Jerkass
 The Goldfinch / int_eb8ec7c8
comment
Jerkass: Theo's father abandons his wife and son without paying any kind of alimony. He also steals his wife's precious heirloom (a pair of emerald earrings) and gives them to his mistress. Later, he neglects his son and attempts multiple times to steal money from a fund reserved for his education, and threatens him when he hesitates.
 The Goldfinch / int_eb8ec7c8
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_eb8ec7c8
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_eb8ec7c8
 The Goldfinch / int_ebe5d89c
type
Disco Dan
 The Goldfinch / int_ebe5d89c
comment
Disco Dan: Larry Decker is a subtle example. He still affects the manner of a Sunshine Noir style 80s playboy and ignores the decay around him in the doomed pursuit of a big-shot lifestyle that no longer has a place in the 21st century.
 The Goldfinch / int_ebe5d89c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_ebe5d89c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_ebe5d89c
 The Goldfinch / int_f42f96fa
type
Would Hit a Girl
 The Goldfinch / int_f42f96fa
comment
Would Hit a Girl: Boris hits his high school girlfriend, giving her a fat lip. Amazingly, he remains somewhat sympathetic, though he's always a rather unsavory character.
 The Goldfinch / int_f42f96fa
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_f42f96fa
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_f42f96fa
 The Goldfinch / int_faa71569
type
Romantic False Lead
 The Goldfinch / int_faa71569
comment
Romantic False Lead: Both Theo and Pippa become involved with "safe" romantic partners, but Theo is in love with Pippa and the story suggests he may also have feelings for Boris. Theo's fiancée is also in love with someone else. Whether they'll all choose a safe life of comfort or a passionate and risky life is left unresolved.
 The Goldfinch / int_faa71569
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_faa71569
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_faa71569
 The Goldfinch / int_feaf12e8
type
Survivor Guilt
 The Goldfinch / int_feaf12e8
comment
Survivor Guilt: One of the things that connect Theo and Pippa is the fact that they both lost a parental figure (Theo his mother, Pippa Welty) to the bombing after convincing them to come along to the museum, while they themselves survived.
 The Goldfinch / int_feaf12e8
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_feaf12e8
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_feaf12e8
 The Goldfinch / int_name
type
ItemName
 The Goldfinch / int_name
comment
 The Goldfinch / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Goldfinch / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
The Goldfinch / int_name
 The Goldfinch / int_name
itemName
The Goldfinch

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
American Literature (E to I) / int_f17cf66c
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
British Teeth / int_f17cf66c
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
Perfect Health / int_f17cf66c
 The Goldfinch
hasFeature
Psmith Psyndrome / int_f17cf66c
 The Goldfinch
seeAlso
The Goldfinch