Tender Is the Night Character Analysis

Dick Diver

The story’s protagonist is a charismatic American expatriate living in France with his wife, Nicole, and their two children, Lanier and Topsy. Dick is attractive and charming, and his magnetism draws interesting and… read analysis of Dick Diver

Rosemary Hoyt

The young Hollywood film actress is incredibly beautiful and symbolizes the hope and innocence of the younger generation. She is completely devoted to her mother, Mrs. Speers, who has raised Rosemary to be independent… read analysis of Rosemary Hoyt

Nicole Diver (Nicole Warren)

Nicole Diver is the “granddaughter of a self-made American capitalist,” and she uses her family wealth to provide for her children and husband, Dick. At 24 years old, Nicole is classically and mesmerizingly beautiful… read analysis of Nicole Diver (Nicole Warren)

Abe North

Abe is an exquisite musician and composer, but after enormous success early in life, has since failed to compose anything new. He is a great friend of the Divers’, and his presence at the beginning… read analysis of Abe North

Mary North

Mary, a young, tanned, American woman is Abe’s wife. She comes from a working-class family but now moves in fashionable circles in Europe. She is extremely patient with Abe, who always ignores her when… read analysis of Mary North

Mrs. Elsie Speers

Rosemary’s mother, twice widowed, is quite accustomed to hardship. Relatively poor after the death of her second husband, Mrs. Speers industriously seizes upon her young daughter’s blooming good looks, deciding to put Rosemary to… read analysis of Mrs. Elsie Speers

Beth (Baby) Warren

Nicole’s older sister assumes a maternal role after the death of their mother. However, unaware of the abuse between Nicole and their father, Mr. Warren, Baby finds it difficult to empathize with her… read analysis of Beth (Baby) Warren

Tommy Barban

Tommy, “an unmistakably Latin young man,” is a friend of Dick and Nicole Diver’s. He is particularly fond of Nicole and goes to great lengths to protect her from gossip and rumors. Tommy is… read analysis of Tommy Barban

Lanier and Topsy Diver

Dick and Nicole’s children. The Divers don’t spend all that much time with the children; a full-time staff cares for Lanier and Topsy, an arrangement that was quite normal for wealthy society at the… read analysis of Lanier and Topsy Diver

Collis Clay

A young man from the American South. He is introduced in the story as Rosemary’s “young man,” but his romantic interest in her is seemingly unrequited. He accompanies Rosemary, Nicole and Dick Diver… read analysis of Collis Clay

Mr. McKisco

Violet’s husband, Mr. McKisco, is a writer and considers himself a real intellectual. He is a hateful man and often undermines and belittles his wife. McKisco repulses Rosemary on the morning of his duel… read analysis of Mr. McKisco

Violet McKisco

Mr. McKisco’s wife and a tactless gossip. She envies Dick and Nicole Diver and their fashionable circle, but often says unkind things about them. Upon meeting Violet, Rosemary is immediately irritated by her and… read analysis of Violet McKisco

Franz Gregorovious

Dick’s friend and Kaethe’s husband. Franz is a successful psychiatrist at Doctor Dohmler’s psychiatric clinic in Zurich. Visiting Franz to assist him with a complex case, Dick learns about Nicole—a patient… read analysis of Franz Gregorovious

Jules Peterson

Mr. Peterson is a “small, respectable” black man from Stockholm. Embroiled in Abe’s blunder with the police—acting as a key witness for him when he falsely accuses a black man of theft—Peterson fears for… read analysis of Jules Peterson

Mr. Devereux Warren

Nicole and Beth’s father. Mr. Warren is a charming and handsome American man. When he delivers Nicole to Doctor Dohmler’s clinic in Zurich, he tells Franz that she has a nervous condition and… read analysis of Mr. Devereux Warren

Maria Wallis

Laura’s sister and a wealthy American woman in France. Dick, Nicole, Rosemary and Mary witness her shoot a man in the train station in Paris as they wave goodbye to Abe… read analysis of Maria Wallis

Hosain, the Conte di Minghetti

Mary marries Hosain after separating from Abe. Hosain attended an English private school and made his large fortune through business ventures in South East Asia. It is not clear exactly where Hosain is from… read analysis of Hosain, the Conte di Minghetti

Lady Caroline Sibly Biers

An unbearably snobby British woman and a close friend of Mary’s. She and Dick have an argument at a dinner party after he insults the English over dinner. Later, when Lady Caroline and Mary… read analysis of Lady Caroline Sibly Biers

Luis Campion

An “effeminate” man who is portrayed as a wimp and is implied to have had a love affair with Mr. Humphry. Most scholars agree that Fitzgerald probably intended for Campion to be gay; at… read analysis of Luis Campion

Minor Characters

Frau Kaethe Gregorovious

Franz’s wife is opinionated but diplomatic, choosing carefully the correct moment to advise him that Dick needs to be dismissed from their clinic due to his alcoholism. While living at the clinic, Nicole takes pains to avoid Kaethe, considering her smelly and provincial.

Nicotera

Rosemary’s Italian lover and co-star in a movie that they are filming in Rome. When Dick meets Rosemary three years after their initial love affair, he is vehemently jealous of Nicotera, calling him a racial slur out of malice.

Hillis

A friend of Collis Clay’s. According to Clay, Rosemary was entangled in a scandal when she was caught with Hillis in a locked train compartment with the blinds drawn. Clay recounts this story to Dick, insinuating that Rosemary might not be so pure and innocent after all.

Mrs. Abrams

A friend of Violet and Mr. McKisco’s. Rosemary meets her on the beach on her first day at Gausse’s hotel.

Earl Brady

A film producer working from his studio in France. He is attracted to Rosemary and, although she feels some chemistry between them, decides that he pales in comparison to Dick.

Professor Dohmler

A renowned psychiatry expert in Zurich. It is at his clinic that he, Dick, and Franz discuss a course of action for Nicole’s treatment.

Gausse

A French man who owns an impressive, pink hotel on the beach of the French Riviera. Dick, Nicole, and their set frequent the hotel, and Abe claims that it was the Divers who made the coastal resort popular.

Laura Wallis

Maria’s sister. When Nicole calls her to tell her that Maria has been arrested for shooting a man in the station, Laura admits that she had sensed that something bad might happen.

Freeman

A black man and “prominent […] restaurateur” who is falsely arrested and put in jail when Abe alerts the police that he has been robbed.

Ed Elkins

Elkins is Dick’s roommate when he’s studying in Switzerland during the war. Dick is perturbed by the notion that he might actually be quite similar to Elkins, who Dick considers basic and simple.

Conte di Marmora

Marmora is Baby and Nicole’s cousin. Baby sends him to accompany Nicole on a trip when she has some vacation time from the clinic. He seems to be interested in Nicole and tries to flatter her in Dick’s presence.

The Consul

An Italian man who works at the Consulate in Rome. He encounters Baby Warren when she storms into his office, demanding that he help her save Dick from Italian prison. He detests the spoiled and petulant attitude of Americans in Europe.

Swanson

Swanson is the Vice-Consul working with the Consulate in Rome.

Doctor Dangeu

Dick meets Doctor Dangeu when he is treating Mr. Warren on his sick bed. Dr. Dangeu is professional but seems overly concerned with ensuring he has good business.

Doctor Lladislau

One of Franz and Dick’s colleagues and employees at the clinic in Zurich. Dick doesn’t like him, believing him to have weak character. Dick tries, and fails, to frame Lladislau so that he’ll get the blame for an angry client instead of Dick.

Mr. McKibben

Friends with Tommy Barban. Dick meets Mr. McKibben in Germany when he is traveling around Europe and hears about how he and Tommy evaded the Russian army.

Von Cohn Morris

An alcoholic patient at Dick and Franz’s clinic.

Mr. Morris

Von Cohn Morris’s father. He makes a big scene when taking his son out of Dick and Franz’s clinic, claiming that Dick has an alcohol problem himself and has been neglectful of his son’s recovery.

T.F. Golding

A former lover of Baby's. Dick and Nicole attend a disastrous party on his boat.

Augustine

The Diver's cook.

Francisco

A teenage boy or young man whom Dick briefly treats in an effort to "cure" him of his homosexuality.

Señor Pardo y Cuidad Real

A Chilean man who wants Dick to "cure" his son of homosexuality.

Mr. Dumphry

A friend of Violet and Mr. McKisco’s. It is implied that he has had some sort of love affair with Luis Campion, who is heartbroken and forlorn when his feelings are not reciprocated.